Lack of CCTVs at rail stations poses a risk to passengers

Thiruvananthapuram: The absence of CCTV cameras at many railway stations continues to be a risk for passengers in the state.Though railway officials say that CCTV cameras are being installed and adequate RPF are being deployed for passenger security, unidentified persons reportedly pulled down a passenger from a train and robbed him at Aluva railway station recently. There was no CCTV at the platform.Frequent travellers complain that railways has been slow in installing cameras at railway stations.The cameras are crucial as several passengers, including those commuting to work, use the passenger and express trains and often get down at small railway stations late at night while returning home. However, the railways prioritises major stations, including Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Ernakulam, Kozhikode and others, for installing CCTVs.Some of the cameras installed at these stations are not working because of the ongoing redevelopment work.J Liyons, of Friends on Rails, said that the railways is yet to install CCTVs at railway stations. "This has been our long-standing demand. But they are implementing it very slowly. The installed ones are not working too. The cameras are not recording continuously at stations where the redevelopment work is going on."He said that railways should install CCTVs at stations on priority as it was a crucial element of passenger security.Passengers said that railways was not taking up the work in a uniform manner. They alleged that railways was first trying to install the cameras at major railway stations and then at smaller stations and also followed different schemes. The phased manner of the installation has caused delays.Around 24 railway stations were selected for installation of CCTV cameras under Nirbhaya Fund in 2018. Now, the railways is installing CCTVs under the emergency response management system in Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad divisions.The plan by the railways to install CCTVs on coaches is yet to take off, though new coaches have the facility. But the number of trains that use new coaches are very few. Retrofitting of coaches has not yet taken off.
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