New Delhi: In a significant step towards enhancing passenger security, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has approved the installation of CCTV cameras in the common movement areas near the doors of all 74,000 railway coaches, an official confirmed on Sunday.
The decision comes after successful trial runs of CCTV installations in locomotive engines and coaches on the Northern Railway network. The move is expected to deter criminal activities, including those by organised gangs targeting unsuspecting passengers, and reinforce a safer travel environment.
Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu, along with Railway Board officials, joined Vaishnaw in reviewing the trial progress during a high-level meeting on Saturday. Following the review, the Railway Minister gave the green light to extend the CCTV installation to all coaches and 15,000 locomotives across the country.
According to officials, each coach will be equipped with four dome-type CCTV cameras—two at each entrance. Additionally, every locomotive will feature six CCTV cameras, with coverage at the front, rear, and both sides. Each cab in the locomotive will also have a dome camera and two desk-mounted microphones to strengthen monitoring capabilities.
Vaishnaw has directed that the installed systems must deliver high-quality footage, even at high speeds exceeding 100 kmph and under low-light conditions. He also encouraged railway authorities to explore the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with CCTV data, in collaboration with the IndiaAI mission, to enhance surveillance and predictive safety measures.
Officials clarified that while privacy of passengers will be maintained, the cameras will focus on shared spaces to aid in the identification and deterrence of miscreants.
The initiative is part of Indian Railways’ broader push towards modernisation, reflecting its ongoing commitment to ensuring a safe, secure, and passenger-friendly travel experience.
With IANS inputs