With special emphasis on the security of women passengers, Eastern Railway’s Railway Protection Force (RPF) has intensified routine patrols and CCTV surveillance at various stations.
According to the ER, CCTV monitoring is done at major stations like Howrah, Sealdah, Kolkata, Asansol, Malda, Bhagalpur, Jamalpur and Durgapur. To further enhance crime prevention and security, the signal and telecom department of Eastern Railway has installed additional 568 CCTV cameras across 20 new stations in October. The expansion covers stations including Bangaon, Ashokenagar, Bira, Gobardanga, Gopalnagar, Guma, Majhergram, Maslandapur, Thakurnagar, Rampurhat, Bolpur, Barharwa, New Farakka, Jasidihi, Baidyanath Dham, Panagarh, Raniganj, Bhagalpur, Chittaranjan, and Madhupur.
Till October, the Eastern Railway has completed the installation of a cumulative total of 1,625 CCTV cameras across 65 stations in the current fiscal.
As learnt from the ER office, CCTV monitoring has emerged as a crucial tool in providing live streaming of various locations at stations, enabling real-time oversight from control rooms, enabling prompt actions to address any unforeseen incidents or actions for the safety of women. After the installation by the signal and telecom department, the CCTV setups were handed over to RPF personnel following comprehensive training sessions. This training has equipped RPF staff with the skills to operate and monitor the CCTV systems, ensuring optimised surveillance and response capabilities.