Railways to roll out CCTV surveillance in all coaches, locomotives for passenger safety

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed the installation of CCTV cameras in all 74,000 railway coaches and 15,000 locomotives as part of an initiative to improve passenger safety.

In a statement released by the Railway Ministry on Sunday, it was noted that the decision followed a review conducted by Vaishnaw and Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu on Saturday. They assessed the effectiveness of CCTV cameras that had been installed on a trial basis in Northern Railways.

To safeguard passenger privacy, the ministry clarified that the cameras would be positioned in shared areas near the coach doors. "The Union Minister for Railways gave the go-ahead to install CCTV cameras in all 74,000 coaches and 15,000 locos. Each railway coach will be covered with four dome-type CCTV cameras, two in each entrance way," the press note said.

"Each locomotive will have six CCTV cameras. This will include one camera each at the front, rear and on both sides of the locomotive. Each cab (front and rear) of a loco will be fitted with one dome CCTV camera and two desk-mounted microphones," the statement said.

Railway officials stated that this initiative is expected to enhance security for passengers and act as a deterrent to anti-social elements and criminal activities on trains and at stations.

The ministry also confirmed that the CCTV cameras to be installed will be equipped with advanced features. "The Union Minister for Railways emphasised deploying the best-in-class equipment. He urged the railway officials to ensure that high-quality footage should be available even for trains running at 100 kmph plus speeds and also under low lighting conditions," the statement said.

It further added, "The modernisation efforts of Indian Railways are a reflection of its commitment towards a safe, secure, and passenger-friendly travel experience."
(With PTI Inputs)