Inauguration of GRP Helpline Watch video here

“I wish every commuter would add 98333 31111 to his or her contact list,” says Rajendra Nikam, Mumbai GRP Inspector and in-charge of GRP’s helpline control room, explaining why commuters who fail to do so may be putting themselves at risk.

Churchgate, Mumbai: “It was the (now) ATS chief KP Raghuvanshi, during his stint with the Railways, who had single handedly pursued the idea of a single helpline number that would come to the aid of lakhs of daily commuters on Mumabi locals as well as long distance trains traversing Maharashtra,” says Nikam, tracing the beginning of what has proven to be a yeoman service to commuters, even as he multi-tasks - issuing orders to subordinates and coordinating tasks for the day that lies ahead.

This October, the Mumbai GRP helpline – 98333 31111 – set up as a pioneering attempt at ensuring the safety and security of the 25 lakh odd passengers who use Western Railway’s 560 local services every day, turns one.

Inspired by a similar service in Kerala, GRP set up the helpline in partnership with Vodaphone, one of India’s leading mobile service providers. “A dedicated number (alas, not toll-free!) was assigned for the helpline and that was how 98333 31111 came into existence,” recalls a proud Nikam, as he looks back at those early days.

“Almost everyone has a mobile in hand today and it made excellent sense to go in for a unique number that would act as a point of reporting grievances by commuters. We also made a detailed study of the Kerala model under the guidance of Mr Raghuvanshi and then went about starting one for Maharashtra. We faced a few technical problems initially, but overcame each one eventually. Our service provider cooperated with us completely, even providing us with handsets.

Next came the issue of manpower to handle the calls. Men were selected with care, the minimum qualification being graduation, and the ability to converse in at least three languages. The service provider played a huge role in training the men comprehensively. And the result is a refined and polite voice at the other end, which attends to your complaint or grievance with alacrity,” says Nikam.

How it works
Young cops, in a new avatar, as smart call center executives attend each and every call to the helpline at the Wadi Bunder control room and then pass on the grievance or complaint logged in to the nearest RPF station, in case of need for immediate action or assistance, as the case may be.

Providing immediate relief for accident victims is yet another objective of the helpline. GRP constables posted at major stations like CST, Kurla, Thane and Dadar have been allotted individual handsets to facilitate communications.

“Even though a caller may request for the schedule of a train or any other railway related enquiry, the helpline is ready to comply and parts with the information without fail.” As for its responsiveness and efficiency, Nikam says that the helpline is second to none and works in a manner reminiscent of 911-the US emergency helpline number.

So how helpful has the helpline been? After an year of fielding some xxxx lakh calls, 98333 31111 has come a long way. And as the old adage goes, nothing succeeds like success. From NRIs who forgot the valuable aboard Mumbai locals to runaway kids, its beneficiaries are many.

Despite all this apparent success, Nikam is quick to point out that there is still a long way to go,
in so far as the common railway commuter is concerned. The helpline number, despite it highly proven effectiveness in assisting commuters in distress as well as crime detection and prevention, remains largely an unknown entity.

“Few commuters are aware of its existence, due to the absence of focusssed publicity. Huge efforts remain to be made, in order to make commuters aware of the helpline and its potential for immediate and effective assistance,” says Nikam. “I wish every commuter would add 98333 31111 to his or her contact list,” he ends on a wishful note.