Title - CCTV cameras installed on Guntur Intercity Express

The South Central Railway (SCR) has, in what is considered an innovative step, installed closed circuit television cameras in coaches of the Guntur Intercity Express for security purpose.SCR General Manager D.P. Pande said the move was purely experimental and feedback would be analysed. He said that it was part of a massive initiative under which 432 cameras were installed for surveillance at 32 stations in the zone.“We wanted to leverage the advantage of using surveillance cameras and have them on trains so it could help us keep an eye on our own staff too, especially housekeeping personnel deployed on 35 express trains where journey time was over 16 hours,” he said. As of now two cameras on either side of the corridors of the coaches were installed in the Guntur Intercity Express.All these were part of the Integrated Security System (ISS) being taken up a cost of Rs. 6.1 crore. Internet protocol-based surveillance cameras were installed in Secunderabad, Vijayawada, Tirupati, Guntur, Nanded and Guntakal, while similar works at other stations were in an advanced stage of completion, he said. The ISS included under-vehicle scanners, x-ray baggage scanners and bomb detection and disposal systems.The cameras around the passenger reservation systems could help keep a watch on touts, Mr. Pande said, adding that surveillance in station platforms that were considered areas with a large presence of people would also help. “Safety and security are our focus, apart from improving service on board,” he said, at a press conference after releasing the Southern Zone Time Table and MMTS Pocket Time Table for 2013 on Saturday.

Performance

On performance parameters, the SCR GM said that they had made revenues of Rs. 10,036 crore in the fiscal just ended and expected to make Rs. 11,700 crore in the current year. About 65 per cent of this would come in from freight handling he said, adding that freight was the Railways’ ‘bread and butter’.

“Once the proposed Food Security Bill is passed, it will entail massive movement of food grain across India and we estimate it will mean a major increase in rail movement, especially in States like Andhra Pradesh that is a major producer of food grain, he said. Also, the cement industry in India that had made an estimated Rs. 29,000 crore in expanding production capacity, would need more rakes, he pointed out.

All these were part of the Integrated Security System (ISS) being taken up a cost of Rs. 6.1 crore. Internet protocol-based surveillance cameras were installed in Secunderabad, Vijayawada, Tirupati, Guntur, Nanded and Guntakal,