Residents of railway quarters in various city areas, especially elderly family members, are facing uncomfortable situations due to public displays of affection by young couples during the day. At night, these neighbourhoods are reportedly taken over by anti-social elements, with little to no surveillance in place.
The issue is most evident in areas such as Bellyshop in Motibagh, Mount Road, Punjabi Line, and Ajni railway quarters, where groups often gather to gamble, drink openly, and use secluded spots to hide weapons, according to sources in railways. Many residents feel unsafe as these issues grow.
According to a local media report, sources allege that the Railway Protection Force (RPF) is overlooking security at the railway quarters, instead trying to pass responsibility to the city police, who are already dealing with staff shortages. A senior police official, however, stated that routine patrols are conducted in these areas.
The garden behind the divisional regional manager’s (DRM) quarters on Mount Road in Sadar has become a daytime spot for young couples and a nighttime gathering place for anti-social elements, surprisingly near the RPF commandant’s residence, said sources.
A source reported that similar activities occur near the Punjabi Line training school, pump house, and abandoned quarters. The open ground near Motibagh stadium has become a hotspot for late-night parties, firecracker bursts, and frequent fights. Mischief-makers act without fear of law, leaving railway employees and their families feeling unsafe. Despite the Motibagh RPF thana being nearby, sources say security concerns of residents are often ignored.