Soon a network of high-tech internet-based video surveillance system would be in place at railway stations across the country to ensure better security of train passengers, especially women.
As part of a pan-India exercise, these internet-based video surveillance systems (VSS) have been installed at 269 railway stations across the country, including 16 railway stations of North Central Railways (NCR). Besides the central control monitoring rooms too have been activated in 10 railway zones of the country, including NCR, said railway officials.
The project includes integration of existing standalone CCTV network of the railways into the VSS system for centralised monitoring, they added.
This is part of the major initiative of the Railway Board wherein 6,049 railway stations of the country are being equipped with this state -of-the-art surveillance system.
The work has been assigned to RailTel and the system is being installed from the funds allocated under the Nirbhaya Fund of the central government.
CMD of RailTel Puneet Chawla said “We will be completing the work at 756 stations by March next year. We are installing four types of IP cameras to ensure maximum coverage inside the Railway premises. This will give an extra edge to the RPF officials to improve security.”
Senior manager of RailTel, Sucharita Pradhan said, “The feed from the network of cameras being installed under this system will be centrally monitored and the footage would be stored for 30 days. To enhance security at railway stations, the CCTV cameras-based systems are being put in place to cover main entrance/exits, platforms, foot over bridges, waiting halls, parking areas etc based on site and security requirements and threat perceptions.”
{{/usCountry}}Senior manager of RailTel, Sucharita Pradhan said, “The feed from the network of cameras being installed under this system will be centrally monitored and the footage would be stored for 30 days. To enhance security at railway stations, the CCTV cameras-based systems are being put in place to cover main entrance/exits, platforms, foot over bridges, waiting halls, parking areas etc based on site and security requirements and threat perceptions.”
{{/usCountry}}These CCTVs would remain attached to the network with the help of optical fibre cables (OFC) and the video feed of the CCTV cameras will not just be displayed at local RPF outposts but also at a centralised CCTV control room being set up at divisional and zonal levels, she explained.
Pradhan said that of the 269 stations, where the system has already been installed, 16 each are from NCR and North Eastern Railways (NER), 47 from Northern Railways (NR) among others.
In the days to come the system would work on the basis of video analytics and facial recognition which means that while monitoring the feed, if any suspicious looking person is picked up, the facial recognition system would identify the same on the basis of the existing database of the system, said officials.
For the purpose, high-tech cameras are being installed which include bullet, fixed-dome, Pan Tilt Zoom (PTZ) and 4K ultra high-definition cameras.
“Network Management System (NMS) is also being provided for monitoring the footage of the cameras which are stored in a server and backed by UPS. The feed could be viewed using web browser and a range of Net-enabled devices including laptop, mobile phone etc, by authorised personnel,” said Pradhan.
The official shared that work at 31 more stations was in progress at the moment and would be completed soon. RailTel has also floated tenders for this work at 456 additional stations of the country.
“In terms of NCR, the control room has been recently activated at the zonal headquarters at Subedarganj wherein live feed is being watched on two 55-inch display screens,” said CPRO, NCR, Shivam Sharma.
Of the 16 stations of NCR, the system has already been installed at Babina (20 cameras), Datia (21 cameras), Aligarh (40 cameras), Gwalior (15 cameras), Mahoba (27 cameras), Phaphund (27 cameras), Tundla (40 cameras), Orai (38 cameras), Etawah (40 cameras), Raja ki Mandi (38 cameras), Agra Fort (40 cameras), Lalitpur (40 cameras), Sikohabad (40 cameras), Firozabad (15), Banda (40 cameras) and Murena (40 cameras).