Shan-e-Punjab Express to be fully equipped with CCTV by Aug

Shan-e-Punjab Express will be the first train to be fully equipped with CCTV cameras in all coaches by August this year to ensure security to passengers, the Railways said today.
"It has been decided to provide CCTV cameras on coaches especially ladies compartments doorway and slide aisle area to improve security measures in train, especially for women passengers," Railway Board Member (Mechanical) Hemant Kumar said here today.
Currently Railways has installed CCTV cameras in two ladies coaches - one in Southern Railway section and another in Northern Railway zone - on an experimental basis.
"The feedback from two coaches on CCTV experiment is quite good and encouraging. Now we will run a particular train with cameras installed in all its coaches as a pilot project," he said.

According to a senior official involved with the CCTV project, the New Delhi-Amritsar Shan-e-Punjab Express will have cameras in all 22 coaches including two Sitting-cum-Luggage Rack (SLR) coaches which are used by female passengers and the work will be completed by August.
The footage from CCTV cameras is monitored by personnel of Railway Protection Force (RPF) at the control room.

Kumar said the plan is to extend the CCTV facility to more trains and it will be done in close coordination with the RPF.
He said steps are also being taken to prevent fire in trains and as per the plan 750 coaches will be fitted with automatic fire detection system involving activation of emergency brake followed by hooter sound in case of a blaze.

At present Bhubaneswar Rajdhani and Jammu Rajdhani are being fitted with the fire detection system and it will be extended to more trains, he said.
Railways is making provision of automatic and fire detection and suppression system on power car and pantry cars.
Since power cars and pantry cars are more prone to fire than other coaches owing to nature of equipment provided on these coaches, the Railways is installing the system to trigger alarm or activate water mist to douse the fire, the senior Railway official said.