By installing CCTV cameras, surveillance at eight more railway stations will be augmented.
The monitoring mechanism will be put in place at Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Mayiladuthurai, Ariyalur, Vriddhachalam, Puducherry, Villupuram and Nagapattinam railway stations, in the jurisdiction of Tiruchi Railway Division, under the Central government’s Nirbhaya Fund.
The Railway Board had planned to establish the system at these stations to enhance security and vigil. The Railway and Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel of Tiruchi Division have been communicated regarding the proposed introduction of CCTV system. The stations would have a separate room to monitor the video footages generated from the cameras proposed to be installed at different points.
The Signal and Telecommunication wing of the Railways and personnel of the RPF, vested with the responsibility of guarding railway stations, would inspect the spots at these stations for installation of cameras.
They would then jointly submit their reports to the divisional authorities ahead of the execution of the system.
The Railway Board had planned to have the surveillance system in place at A-1, A, B and C category stations across the country.
Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Villupuram and Mayiladuthurai fall under the ‘A’ category stations while Vriddhachalam, Ariyalur, Puducherry and Nagapattinam are classified under the ‘B’ category stations.
Thanjavur, Mayiladuthurai, Vriddhachalam and Villupuram have RPF posts manned by an Inspector, the remaining four stations have RPF outposts manned by Sub Inspector.
Presently, Tiruchi Railway Junction is the only station in Tiruchi Division to have a full-fledged surveillance cameras-based monitoring mechanism that was put in place under the Integrated Security Scheme (ISS) in March 2013. Tiruchi was one among the major stations in the Indian Railway network to be brought under the scope of the ISS that was conceived in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008.
The sources said Tiruchi Junction is presently equipped with 67 cameras covering all the seven platforms and the circulating areas.
Personnel of the RPF and the Government Railway Police keep a round-the-clock tab on the movements and activities taking place at Tiruchi Junction from the monitoring room that is connected to the surveillance cameras.
In addition to cameras, a host of security gadgets were provided to Tiruchi Junction under the ISS.
