The Southern Railway has taken efforts to speed up the installation of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the railway stations of the Chennai division. Having completed the installation of CCTV cameras in only seven railway stations till last financial year of 2021-22, it is now working on completing the CCTV installation in 26 stations in and around the city. A total of 93 stations is to be covered in the CCTV project of the Southern Railway from the Nirbhaya Fund.
B. Guganesan, Chief Public Relations Officer, said the Southern Railway has been allotted ₹20.14 crore for the CCTV project this financial year, and work is on in a total of 45 stations of the Southern Railway covering six railway zones.
In Chennai division, around 500 CCTV cameras are being fixed in 26 railway stations, including Chennai Fort, Park, Chetpet, Kodambakkam, Guindy, Pallavaram, Melmaruvathur, Velachery and Thiruvanmiyur.
The Southern Railway has started the tendering process in the remaining 48 railway stations of Chennai division for installing CCTV cameras covering west and north sections. Important railway stations to be covered in the next phase are Perambur, Villivakkam, Pattabhiram, Pattaravakkam, Ponneri, VOC Nagar, Royapuram and Washermanpet.
Mr. Guganesan said the Southern Railway has been taking several women safety measures, including deputing women Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel to travel in the ladies compartment of suburban trains and receiving feedback from women commuters through ‘Meri Saheli’ campaign. The commissioning of CCTV cameras would take passenger safety, particularly women passenger safety, to the next level in the railway stations. The CCTV project is set to be completed by the end of November this year, he added.
The Southern Railway had already commissioned CCTV cameras in the Chennai division in seven railway stations of Nungambakkam, St. Thomas Mount, Palavanthangal, Thirumayilai, Chengalpattu, Arakkonam and Jolarpet.
The CCTV project under Nirbhaya Fund is being carried out in the seven stations of Madurai division, five stations of Thiruvananthapuram, and three stations each in Tiruchi and Palakkad. Work is in progress in Puducherry station also.
