167 of 701 CCTV cameras in 10 Bengaluru railway stations not working
BENGALURU: The security apparatus across railway stations in Bengaluru Railway Division is in a shocking state. Out of 701 CCTV cameras installed across ten major railway stations, 167 are not functioning. Among the non-functional ones are 100 hi-end cameras and 50 face recognition ones which were run on a trial basis a year ago at the busiest station, the KSR Bengaluru Railway Station.
The issue has come to the fore following the discovery of the bodies of two murdered women within a month inside railway premises -- one inside a MEMU train which reached the Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal at Baiyappanahalli (December 8) and another earlier this week on a platform at Yesvantpur railway station (January 4).
“Due to the malfunctioning CCTV cameras, the identities of the dead women or the perpetrators could not be identified despite much effort,” said a source.
The face recognition cameras were checked by officials of Railway Board and the contractor, V Link System Private Limited a year ago.
“An alleged bribe demand by a railway officer in connection with the contract and a major fallout between the partners in the firm have finally resulted in this unique security system falling apart and the cameras becoming non-functional,” another source said.
‘Working to improve CCTV systems’
Additional Divisional Railway Manager, Kusuma Hariprasad, said GRP and RPF have been asked to conduct a survey to provide a report on the status of CCTVs and security at all stations. GM, SWR Zone, Sanjeev Kishore said, “We had a meeting with RPF and GRP. Security involves a lot of aspects and we are continuously working to improve them.”
The casual approach of authorities towards CCTV system is violative of the Karnataka Public Safety (Measures) Enforcement Act, 2017, which had recommended penal action against organisations not following public safety measures, say sources.
The Act mandates “installation of public surveillance system such as CCTVs by owners of establishments at their own cost and to provide for making available video recordings up to 30 days to the police as and when required in the investigation of specific crimes.”