A simple idea at Amrauli Junction has helped railway police and volunteers reunite 48 lost children with their families during the first week of the festive travel rush.
Volunteers at the station entrances offered parents a paper wristband for each child, with the parent's phone number written on it. When a child was found alone on a platform, staff called the number straight away instead of waiting for announcements.
"Before this, a lost child could take two hours to reunite with family in this crowd," said Sub-Inspector Rekha Yadav of the railway police. "With the wristband, most children were back with their parents in under 20 minutes."
How the scheme worked
- Volunteers stood at the three main entrances from 6 am to midnight.
- Parents wrote their number on a wristband, or volunteers wrote it for them.
- A help desk on Platform 1 had toys, water and a female constable on duty at all times.
- Every reunion was logged with the time the child was found and handed over.
About 26,000 wristbands were handed out in seven days. Station officials said the cost was less than the price of a single announcement system upgrade.
The scheme will continue until the end of the festive season, and officials at two neighbouring stations have asked for the same set-up.
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