New Delhi: In a bid to stop unabated crime against women and children in trains and railway stations, the Union Home Ministry has initiated a move for installing more closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras to stop such crime. The ministry is pursuing the matter with the ministry of railways.
Government statistics in possession of ETV Bharat said CCTV cameras have been installed in 814 railway stations and 2,931 coaches to date. At present, the quantity of camera installation in India's 7,349 railway station is hardly above 10 percent. "The number of CCTV cameras in a vast railway network is very minimal. We need to install more cameras to stop the unabated incidents of crime against women and children," said a senior government official.
The railway ministry intends to gradually provide CCTV cameras at more railway stations, except halt stations and in coaches of all trains including suburban trains. The railway ministry has also taken initiative for registering cases in the running trains.
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"Works for the same have been approved. Ministry of Railways has also requested principal chief security commissioner, railway protection force, all zonal railways to widely publicise the availability of RPF and GPR staff in important mail, express, Rajdhani, Shatabdi trains and availability of FIR forms with them," the official said. Significantly, women passengers consist of 20 percent of the 2.3 crore passengers travelling every day in the Indian railways.
A parliamentary standing committee on home affairs has also suggested the home ministry build a pan-India common App on the lines of pan India helpline number '112' for registration of cases in all modes of public transport. Pointing out that different States have devised customized Apps for the registration of complaints in public transport, the committee noted that different apps in different States will make it difficult for a person travelling across the State to make a complaint.
As per records, the highest number of cameras installed in 156 railway stations of Maharashtra followed by Uttar Pradesh 69, West Bengal 67 and Bihar 47. Available statistics indicate that 15 rape cases were reported in railways in 2018, followed by 328 molestation cases and 12 assault cases were registered in the same year. The highest number of molestation cases were registered in Southern Railways (71) followed by 63 cases reported from Central Railways.
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