Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 27 : In a significant move aimed at strengthening passenger safety and improving surveillance across its network, Western Railway has installed more than 4,500 cameras equipped with Facial Recognition System (FRS) technology at key locations across its jurisdiction.
The cameras have been strategically placed at entry and exit points of almost every station, along with platforms, ticket counters and other high-footfall areas.
The initiative is part of a larger plan under which around 7,500 such cameras will be installed across the Western Railway suburban network. Officials said that more than half of the project, over 4500 cameras, has already been completed, and the remaining cameras are being installed in phases and will be operational in the near future.
According to railway officials, the advanced cameras are powered by artificial intelligence AI, and integrated with features that assist security agencies in multiple tasks such as crowd management, crime prevention, crime detection and tracing missing persons. The system is expected to significantly enhance surveillance capabilities at busy railway stations, especially in Mumbai's suburban network, which handles millions of commuters daily.
Western Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Vineet Abhishek said the project is already showing positive results in improving monitoring and coordination between railway authorities and security agencies.
"These cameras are installed at crucial locations of almost every station on our network, at points like entry and exits of the station, platforms, ticket counters, et cetera, where we are getting help from these cameras to have better crowd management. Primarily, the face recognition capability of these cameras is helping GRP, RPF and other government agencies to prevent and detect crime at railway stations. Our aim is to utilise these cameras with their optimum capability to help us provide a safe and convenient experience to all our commuters at every station. More than half of this project is already installed and activated, and the remaining cameras are being fitted at appropriately planned locations and will also be functional in the near future," Abhishek said.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) are expected to use the system to identify suspects, monitor suspicious movements and improve response time during emergencies.
With Mumbai's suburban railway network witnessing daily passenger movement of lakhs of commuters, officials believe that the large-scale deployment of AI-enabled surveillance will play a crucial role in maintaining security and streamlining crowd management at stations.