News Brief
Trains To Have CCTV Cameras For Passenger Safety, Railway Ministry Approves Plan For 74,000 Coaches And 15,000 Locomotives
CCTV cameras in train coaches aim to deter crime and ensure secure travel. (Pic Via X)
The Ministry of Railways has approved an ambitious plan to install high-resolution CCTV cameras in all passenger train coaches and locomotives to strengthen passenger safety, reported The New Indian Express.
Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu reviewed the progress of this initiative on Saturday (12 July) with senior Railway Board officials before giving it the green light.
Dharmendra Tewari, ADG PIB Railway, said installing CCTV cameras in all coaches would significantly bolster passenger safety and help deter miscreants and organised gangs who previously exploited unsuspecting passengers.
He explained that cameras would be installed in common movement areas near doors in each coach to balance security and privacy.
According to Tewari, the approved plan covers 74,000 coaches and 15,000 locomotives. Each coach will get four dome-type CCTV cameras—two at each entrance. Each locomotive will feature six CCTV cameras for full coverage, along with cab-mounted cameras and microphones.
He confirmed that the equipment will meet the latest STQC standards. The minister has urged the use of AI on CCTV data in collaboration with the India-AI mission to enhance monitoring.
Tewari added that tenders for these installations were floated on 11 July and trials were successfully conducted by Northern Railway.
