Gets baggage scanners, 34 CCTV cameras under Nirbhaya Fund

Mysuru / Hubballi: After aesthetically enhancing the ambience and environment of Mysuru City Railway Station that has undergone a sea-change with a fresh coat of painting, clean campus, “I Love MYS” selfie spot and  ‘Life Is A Journey’ Statuary, the Railway authorities are focussing on beefing up security. 

As part of a nationwide security project, the Mysuru City Railway Station has got 34 new CCTV cameras adding to the existing lot of surveillance cameras and baggage scanners at entry points.  

The nationwide project has been initiated by the Indian Railways to enhance security at Railway Stations by providing CCTV system at stations, waiting halls, reservation counters, parking areas, main entrance / exit, platforms, foot over bridges and booking offices.

According to a statement issued by South Western Railway (SWR), Hubballi Division, the Railway Board has approved works for provision of video surveillance system covering 983 Railway Stations (31 Stations on SWR) under Nirbhaya Fund. This year, a budget of Rs. 250 crore has been allotted to this for Indian Railways.

Nirbhaya Fund is a Rs. 10 billion (Rs. 1,000 crore) corpus announced in 2013 Union Budget. This fund will support initiatives by the Government and NGOs working towards protecting dignity and ensuring safety of women in India. 

In phase-I, South Western Railway (SWR) was given a target of stations to commission CCTV surveillance system. SWR has recently commissioned video surveillance system at six major stations at Ballari by providing 33 cameras, Belagavi with 36 cameras, Vasco-Da Gama with 36 cameras, Bengaluru Cantonment with 21 cameras, Bangarpet with 36 cameras, Hassan with 36 cameras and remaining three stations at Hassan, Shivamogga Town and Sathya Sai Prasanthi Nilayam work is under progress and will be commissioned shortly.

Integrated Security System 

SWR will then be the first zone in Indian Railway to have completed the work in Phase-I. Integrated Security System comprising CCTV system, Baggage Scanners at entry points have already been installed at Bengaluru, Mysuru and Yesvantpur. 

Video surveillance systems (CCTV) are functional at Hubballi with 44 cameras, Hospet with 19 cameras, Koppal with 8 cameras, Londa with 13 cameras, Castle Rock with 10 cameras, Vijayapura with 6 cameras, Dharwad with 6 cameras, Gadag with 2 cameras, Bengaluru with 71 cameras, Yesvantpur with 35 cameras and Mysuru with 34 cameras. With this, SWR is having at 17 stations functional CCTV and will have total 20 locations CCTV functional by end of January.

Data monitored and stored

Security personnel can monitor these cameras not only from station control rooms but also form Divisional Central Security Control Room located at Divisional Headquarters in Hubballi, Mysuru and Bengaluru. 

This system has the features of video surveillance, face detection, video and detection of left over luggage etc. Cameras are provided at strategic locations such as station entry, platforms, reservation counter, and foot over bridges, yard and parcel office. Recording of all the cameras will be stored in hard disk up to 30 days.

Only focus on main entry

At the Mysuru Railway Station, baggage scanners and metal detectors are present only at the main entry point while there are no security systems for entry through subways and other entrances like the one from the CFTRI side. 

Passengers can gain easy access to the Station from these places without their luggage or the person (traveller) being scanned, said a passenger who is a frequent traveller.