If you travel on Mumbai local trains, then this is definitely a great update for you. To improve safety and prevent mishaps, the Maharashtra government is planning something big for the city’s suburban railway network.
According to reports, Director General of Police (DGP) Sadanand Date has directed railway officials to conduct a comprehensive safety audit of 150 suburban railway stations. This audit will assess existing surveillance infrastructure, police deployment and other security measures.
The government is also considering replacing conventional CCTV cameras with facial-recognition-enabled surveillance cameras at major railway stations. Additionally, the authorities also want a better CCTV network across railway stations and plan to integrate advanced surveillance technology to improve crime detection and identify repeat offenders.
Apart from expanding surveillance, the government is also planning to intensify police patrolling at stations and inside Mumbai local trains. According to reports, the police will also rely on intelligence-based surveillance, targeted checks of suspicious individuals, surprise inspections and random searches inside train coaches.
Several additional security measures are also being planned. These include activating panic buttons in women’s coaches, deploying additional police personnel at high-footfall stations, and operationalising metal detectors at station entry and exit points.
The government also plans to permanently seal unauthorised access routes to railway platforms. It also plans to establish medical rooms at railway stations so that injured passengers can receive immediate treatment before being shifted to hospitals.
