Strengthening operation ‘Amanat’, RPF onboarded on CEIR portal of department of telecommunication benefiting millions of Railways passengers
CEIR portal is DoT’s crucial digital tool to recover mobile phone by blocking IMEI number, tracking and managing of lost/ stolen devices
In a significant move towards enhancing passenger experience by returning the lost/missing mobile phones, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) has successfully onboarded with the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal of the Department of Telecommunication. This initiative follows the success of a pilot program in the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR). The all India roll out of this program across Indian Railways would benefit millions of Railway Passengers.
In the inauguration launch and training program for CEIR portal, held today, Shri. Manoj Yadava, Director General, Railway Protection Force addressed the gathering of RPF field units while Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary (Telecom) delivered the keynote address. Speaking on this landmark development, the DG RPF Shri. Manoj Yadava stated that “The collaboration of RPF with the Department of Telecommunication for operating CEIR portal marks a significant milestone in railway security. By harnessing digital technology, we aim to provide passengers with a transparent and effective mechanism to recover their lost or missing mobile phones. This initiative strengthens law enforcement capabilities and fosters greater trust among railway commuters. We remain committed to safeguarding passenger property and ensuring a secure travel experience across the railway network.”
The CEIR portal, launched by the Department of Telecommunications, is a crucial digital tool designed to recover mobile phones by blocking, tracking and managing lost or stolen devices. By leveraging this platform, RPF will now be able to render lost/missing mobile phones unusable by blocking their IMEI numbers, thereby deterring illegal possession and resale of these devices. This initiative will also facilitate the swift recovery of lost phones through advanced tracking capabilities.
RPF has been at the forefront of efforts to recover passenger property which are lost or missing in trains as well as station premises. Operation Amanat of RPF, aimed at the sole objective of returning the valuables to its rightful owners, have yielded impressive results, with RPF successfully recovering misplaced or left behind items worth ₹84.03 crores between January 2024 and February 2025 returning them to more than 1.15 lakh grateful passengers. The incorporation of CEIR into railway security operations is expected to further bolster the efforts of RFP to restore misplaced or left behind mobile phones to their rightful owners.
Seamless Complaint Registration & Recovery Process
The integration of RPF with CEIR ensures a streamlined process for passengers reporting lost or stolen phones:
- Complaint Registration via Rail Madad: Passengers can report lost or stolen mobile phones through the Rail Madad platform, either online or by dialling 139. If they choose not to file an FIR, they will be guided to register their complaint on the CEIR portal.
- CEIR Registration by RPF: Zonal Cyber Cells of RPF will then register the complaint on the CEIR portal, entering the required details and blocking the device.
- Tracking and Recovery: Once the lost phone is detected with a new SIM card, the user of the device will be advised to return it to the nearest RPF post.
- Return to the Owner: The rightful owner must present supporting documents to reclaim the device.
- Legal Action: In case of non-compliance, an FIR can be lodged, and the matter escalated to the District Police.
- Device Unblocking: Upon recovery, the complainant can request to unblock the phone via the CEIR portal, with assistance from RPF if needed.
In May 2024, RPF began a pilot project in Northeast Frontier Railway to actively utilize the CEIR portal and to study its utility for RPF. This experiment resulted in successful recovery of numerous lost mobile phones and apprehension of individuals involved in mobile theft. With this initiative being expanded all across the country, RPF is confident that it would be able to provide faster and more efficient recovery solutions for railway passengers.
With technology-driven advancements and inter-agency collaboration, Indian Railways continues to reinforce its commitment to passenger safety, ensuring that every journey is secure and hassle-free.
