The Ministry of Railways on Sunday announced plans to equip all passenger coaches and locomotives across the country with CCTV cameras, aiming to strengthen passenger safety and security. The move follows the positive results of pilot projects where CCTV systems were successfully tested on select trains.
Following a high-level review meeting chaired by Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu on July 12, Indian Railways has been given the green light to install CCTV cameras in all 74,000 coaches and 15,000 locomotives. The meeting was attended by senior officials of the Railway Board.
As per the new plan, each passenger coach will be equipped with four dome-type CCTV cameras, strategically placed—two at each entrance—to monitor common movement areas while preserving passenger privacy. Each locomotive will be fitted with six CCTV cameras: one each at the front, rear, and both sides, along with a dome camera and two desk-mounted microphones in each cab.
Railway officials confirmed that successful trials of this surveillance setup have already been conducted on the Northern Railway network. The new system aims to provide 360-degree coverage to deter and detect miscreants, including organised gangs that often target unsuspecting passengers.
The Union Minister has directed that all surveillance equipment should meet stringent quality standards, including STQC certification. Emphasis was placed on ensuring high-resolution footage even at speeds exceeding 100 kmph and in low-light conditions. Furthermore, officials were encouraged to explore integrating artificial intelligence with the CCTV network in collaboration with the IndiaAI mission, to further enhance monitoring and safety capabilities.
The Railways said that while safety is the primary objective, passenger privacy will be respected. Cameras will not be installed inside private compartments or seating areas but only in the common corridors near the doors.
