Central railways to install 3652 cameras with face recognition system across 117 stations
By: Pune Pulse
September 26, 2023
Pune: The Central Railways are planning to install a video surveillance system with 3652 CCTV cameras against the Nirbhaya fund in the stations under the A1 category, A category, B category, and C category. The system will be installed by RailTel. The Railway Board has already signed a MoU with RailTel for this purpose. The CCTV cameras will be equipped with a face recognition system, video analytics, and video management system. The CCTV system will be installed at 117 stations of the Central Railway. In addition, 2470 CCTV cameras will be installed at the 247 stations of Central Railway under the D&E category.
As per further information shared by Central Railways, Central Railway stations will soon get face recognition cameras. These cameras will help in apprehending wanted criminals. They will also help in managing crowded areas.
Central Railway plans to have 4K cameras with a face recognition system installed at 117 central railway stations across the country. These stations will include all stations in the Mumbai Division apart from stations that are already equipped with integrated security systems (ISS).
Some of the central railway stations that will be covered in this project include Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Dadar, Kurla, Thane, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, and Kalyan.
Cameras with face recognition systems, video analytics, and video management systems will enhance passenger safety, control crime, deter law abusers, and monitor compliance with railway rules. PTZ-type cameras can be controlled by RPF personnel and will have a tilt angle of 180 degrees on the vertical axis and a 360-degree view on the horizontal axis, hence will ensure no blind spots. Essentially, these cameras will assist security agencies in monitoring crowds, detecting abandoned objects, and preventing trespassing at the stations. Data collected from these cameras will be transmitted through an IP network to surveillance stations and further relayed to a unified control command center. With this system, all 117 stations will be under constant digital surveillance. These cameras can recognize a person whose face is stored in the database, instantly alerting the administration to the presence of known criminals as they enter the station. These cameras can identify various parts of the face, such as the retina or forehead. Additionally, a multi-layered monitoring network will oversee the cameras, and the data collected will be stored for 30 days. These cameras represent a significant step towards comprehensive surveillance, enhancing passenger security and safety.
In this project, CCTV cameras will be installed in the waiting hall, reservation counter, parking area, main entrance/ exit, platform, foot over bridges, and booking office, networked via optical fiber cable. CCTV video feed will be shown not only at local RPF posts but also at the centralized CCTV control room at the divisional and zonal levels. CCTV video feeds will be monitored at three levels. This will improve safety and security in railway premises.
To provide clearer images and better coverage, four types of full-HD cameras will be utilized: Bullet type for platforms, Dome type for indoor areas, Ultra HD-4K cameras for crucial locations, and Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) type for parking areas. Live streaming from these CCTVs will be displayed on multiple screens in the RPF control room. Each HD camera consumes approximately 750 GB of data, while 4K cameras consume 3TB of data per month. The video footage will be stored for 30 days for post-event analysis, playback, and investigation purposes, although important videos can be stored for a longer duration.
Indian Railways has specified the number of cameras to be installed based on station categories. The details are as under:
For A1- Category stations: 92 Cameras, A – Category stations: 60 Cameras, B-Category stations: 38 Cameras, C- Category stations: 26 Cameras, D – Category stations: 10 Cameras, E – Category stations: 10 Cameras
The only A-1 category station included in this project is the Solapur station and 18 out of the total A-category stations, 12 out of the total B-category stations, and 86 out of the total C-category stations will have face recognition system installed. In addition to this, 117 stations will be equipped with cameras and 247 stations will have 2470 cameras and a video surveillance system installed.
Facial recognition systems play a crucial role in faster and more accurate crime detection, in addition to traditional forms of law enforcement, the implementation of Hi-Tech cameras with FSS software will improve the security of passengers and will definitely transform the way of travel in India.
