Cops flag missing cameras at Delhi's railway stations

NEW DELHI: A survey conducted by Delhi Police has revealed that more than 80 spots at Delhi's seven railway stations either had no CCTV coverage or the cameras installed there were providing poor-quality footage.
The cops have now written to the divisional railway manager (DRM) to take corrective measures. They have also identified over 20 dark spots with dim or no lighting.

According to data accessed by TOI, more than 30 such spots were identified at New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS), followed by 16 at Anand Vihar Terminal Railway Station (ANVT) and eight each at Old Delhi Railway Station, Sarai Rohilla and Sabzi Mandi. Six and five such spots were found at Hazrat Nizamuddin and Delhi Cantt, respectively, the data showed.
An officer said the survey was conducted in February. "At one such station, we found that all the CCTV cameras installed on the platforms were old. We have asked the authorities to replace them," the officer said.
CCTVs were also found to be missing or non-functional at entry-exit gates on Paharganj side, one of the metro gates, auto parking and on two platforms. Similarly, at ANVT, parking spots, yards and jungle areas didn't have adequate CCTV coverage.
Cops have asked the railways to install over a hundred cameras at these spots. Under the safe city project, the railway unit of police has been allotted more than 90 cameras, which will be installed at strategic locations.
An officer said Delhi had over 132km of functional railways tracks. CCTV surveillance is the most effective tool in both crime prevention and detection. The current CCTV infrastructure falls short, both qualitatively and quantitatively, in meeting emerging crime situations and ensuring women's safety. "There is a need to upgrade the CCTV infrastructure at Delhi's railway stations and yards by increasing the coverage and by adopting the latest technologies like megapixels cameras, ANPRs, Facial recognition software, etc," he said.
Deputy commissioner of police (railways) Hareesh HP said under Phase-III of the Delhi Police Safe City project, railway stations were provided with 94 CCTV cameras, 20 gunshot detectors and 10 PA systems. "We are also coordinating with the railway authorities regularly for improving the CCTV infrastructure," he said.
Delhi Police has also identified 45 such places where the construction of walls is necessary to ensure that no one crosses the tracks and to curb incidents of snatching, robbery and theft. "We have also identified more than 20 places where proper lighting is required," the officer said, adding that they had informed the authorities concerned.