National transporter plans to use facial-recognition software on CCTV cameras

In order to make rail travel safer, the Indian Railways is banking on artificial intelligence-based technology solutions. The national transporter plans to install CCTV across thousands of its stations and trains, and use facial-recognition system to identify people with criminal records and miscreants.

“Security is very important for railways. In a big step towards that is CCTV surveillance across our stations and train coaches,” Railway Board Chairman V.K. Yadav told a press conference here on Monday.

Mr. Yadav said the Railways also intend to use artificial intelligence (AI) and face-recognition software to stop criminals.

“In the morning (Monday), we also had a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee... it was suggested, that in addition to all the CCTV getting installed, we should have AI and face recognition software, and use analytics to recognise the face of criminals and nab them,” he said.

The Chairman also pointed out that this year, the first railway commando battalion ‘CORAS’ to tackle the menace of terrorism and naxalism in railways has been formed.

The Railways have over 6,100 stations; the CCTV surveillance system was installed this year at over 500 stations. “As far as the budget is concerned, we got ₹500 crore from the Nirbhaya fund. In addition, we kept about ₹2,000 crore from the railway fund for coaches.”

The Chairman said in all there are about 58,600 coaches run in the mail express trains in the country and Indian Railways intends to put CCTV in the corridors and above the door. “By March 2022, all stations will be covered. And among the coaches planned... in the first phase, tenders have been invited for 7,020 coaches and also for 6,100 stations. This should be done by next year...the remaining coaches will be done by March 2022.”