NFR to monitor 28 stations with CCTV surveillance

* Project undertaken under Nirbhaya Fund for safety of women passengers

GUWAHATI: Security of 28 stations in NFR to be monitored by CCTV. The system has already been installed in 13 stations. High definition CCTV cameras are being installed at platforms, circulating and waiting areas of important stations with sufficient number of passengers.

The Ministry of Railways has already decided to provide 19,000 high definition CCTV cameras at 983 Railway stations across the country under the Nirbhaya fund to ensure round-the-clock security to passengers especially women.

In NF Railway, CCTV are to be commissioned at 28 stations out of which 16 are being done by NF Railway under ISS (Integrated Security System) Phase – I & II and 12 are being done by RailTel under Nirbhaya fund. Out of 16 stations, eight (Guwahati, Lumding, Dimapur, Dibrugarh, New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri Jn, Kishanganj, Katihar) were commissioned during the period 2016-18 and eight are being commissioned now. Out of eight stations, five (Kamakhya, Rangiya, Diphu, Silchar, New Bongaigaon) have been commissioned and for the rest 3 (Kokrajhar, Mariani, New Tinsukia) work is in progress which are likely to be commissioned by March 2020 along with the 12 stations (Alipurduar Junction, New Alipurduar, Coochbehar, New Coochbehar, Raiganj, Barpeta Road, Jorhat Town, Bongaigaon, Tinsukia, Purnea Jn., Samsi, Agartala) being done by RailTel.

The footages of CCTV would be monitored by trained RPF personnel and concerned Station Manager will also be given access to the CCTV camera footage whenever needed. In Indian Railways CCTV cameras have been installed at about 344 stations so far out of 983 stations. The Humsafar Express and the Tejas service have also been equipped with CCTV cameras. Apart from them, the Shaan-E-Punjab express is fully covered with CCTV cameras. Some of the ladies compartments of the Mumbai suburban service are also covered with CCTV cameras under the pilot project, stated a release.

It may be mentioned here that Nirbhaya fund was announced in 2013 Union Budget with a corpus of Rs. 1,000 crore after the December 16, 2012 incident at Delhi to support initiatives by the government and NGOs working towards protecting the dignity and ensuring safety of women in India. The fund is administered by Department of Economic Affairs of the Finance Ministry.

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