VIJAYAWADA: As part of Indian Railways’ national CCTV Surveillance Initiative, South Central Railway’s (SCR) Vijayawada Division on Wednesday conducted a media tour at the Vijayawada Coaching Depot to demonstrate its upgraded in-coach CCTV surveillance technology.
The Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Vijayawada Division, Narendra A Patil, said the initiative represents a major step forward in enhancing passenger safety and modernising the railway network.
“We’re not just installing cameras, we’re building trust. For our passengers, this means travelling with greater confidence. For our railway staff, it means better monitoring of onboard services. And for all of us, it means we’re modernising Indian Railways for the 21st century. We’re demonstrating that safety and privacy can go hand in hand, with cameras placed only in common movement areas and not in private compartments,” he said.
Each coach features six high-definition dome cameras—two at each entrance and two inside the coach pathways—equipped with low-light capability and certified for use in high-speed trains. Locomotives will have six cameras and two desk-mounted microphones to offer complete situational awareness for loco pilots and crew.
Additional key officials present at the event included Additional Divisional Railway Manager (Infrastructure) PE Edwin, Senior Divisional Mechanical Engineer Sanjay Angothu, and Divisional Mechanical Engineer (Diesel Loco Shed) G Uday Bhaskar.
The event also reflected the vision of Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, who aims to equip 74,000 passenger coaches and 15,000 locomotives with high-definition CCTV cameras, ushering in a new era of digital safety and modernisation for the Indian Railways network.