Bhubaneswar, Feb. 12: In a bid to make communication between passengers and the government railway police (GRP) hassle-free, a helpline number was launched here today.

One can now call up 1512 and lodge his or her complaint.

Passengers often face problems connecting the GRP as every police station has a different number. Therefore, many incidents go unreported.

"This new helpline number will solve this problem. Now, people will just have to call up on this number irrespective of their location. They can lodge their complaint or talk to the police officials about their problems. In fact one can call up on this number from any landline or mobile phone from anywhere in the state," said Soubhagya Kumar Swain, inspector in charge of railway police station, Bhubaneswar.

Police officials said the number had been procured from Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and it had been systemised in such a way that it will connect to the nearby government railway police station.

This helpline number will help police provide speedy assistance to passengers in the event of thefts, harassment, pickpocketing or other criminal incidents on rail premises. "It will help passengers connect to the police immediately," said the inspector.

The railway passengers appreciated and praised the move by the government railway police of the state.

"This is no doubt a welcome step and it will help passengers. Most of the time we face problems at the railway station or in trains while travelling, but we fail to communicate instantly with the police due to unavailability of the telephone number of the local railway police station. This helpline will save our time. However, its real use will be put to test now," said Ritika Bhat, a train passenger.

Sources said the Indian Railways is working on an all-India security helpline network to make the service available across the country.

In the last few years, combined effort of the Railway Protection Force and the GRP had succeeded in curbing drug-and-loot incidents on the station premises. But there have been several incidents of passengers being drugged and looted on trains and outside stations. The new helpline will help the GRP as well as the local police check such incidents.