Indian Railways is in the process of installing high-definition CCTV cameras to ensure the safety of its passengers, especially women. The surveillance systems will be installed at more than 900 stations under the Nirbhaya Fund that has an approved cost of INR 500 cr assigned to make railway premises safe and secure for everyone. About 19,000 high-resolution CCTV cameras are to be installed at about 983 stations across the country. Tenders will soon be released for a smooth process.
The Nirbhaya Fund was created by the Central Government in the year 2013 with an INR 1000 cr corpus in the Union Budget. The main aim of the setup was to encourage empowering strategies of the government as well as NGOs towards guaranteeing safety of women in the country.
Railways aim to increase security at platforms and waiting areas by installing CCTV cameras. The footage from these cameras will be monitored 24*7 by trained RPF personnel. The station master would also have access to the CCTV footage. There are more than 8000 railway stations in the country, out of which only 344 have been installed with security cameras.
According to authorities, CCTV cameras will not only prevent criminal activities but also help in post-incident crime investigation. Apart from platforms and waiting halls, important trains like Rajdhani, Humsafar and Tejas Express will also be covered under this plan.
