Railways to install surveillance cameras on trains in Rs 1,200 crore safety plan
New Delhi: Indian Railways is set to install cameras outside locomotives and around guard coaches as part of a Rs 1,200 crore safety initiative to prevent derailments and sabotage attempts, sources confirmed. This move follows increasing concerns over railway security and frequent acts of sabotage, particularly in parts of Central Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
The decision to introduce surveillance systems aims to enhance real-time monitoring, detect suspicious activities along railway tracks, and deter acts of vandalism. These cameras will not only serve as deterrents but also provide critical evidence in the event of any incident. This effort is part of Indian Railways’ larger modernization drive, with the initiative expected to gain momentum by 2025.
The railways have been facing numerous sabotage attempts over the past year and a half, including dangerous obstructions like LPG cylinders, iron rods, boulders, concrete slabs, and tree trunks placed on tracks. Such actions pose significant risks to both passenger and freight train operations, increasing the threat of major accidents. Sources indicate that the central government has directed all relevant stakeholders, including state authorities, to stay vigilant and counteract any attempts to destabilise railway operations.
Investigations are currently underway to identify patterns in these activities, which reportedly began with bomb threats targeting schools and shopping malls and have now shifted towards railway tracks.
Authorities are also probing links to terror outfits, with Pakistan-based mastermind Farhatullah Ghori—infamous for his role in the 2002 Akshardham temple attack—urging sleeper cells in India to target trains, pipelines, and Hindu leaders. Recent train accidents are being examined from this perspective.
Since August 2024, there have been 18 registered cases of sabotage attempts, with investigations into 28 additional incidents ongoing since June 2023. Some of these cases are being handled by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
In the latest incident, an attempt to derail a train near Ajmer in Rajasthan on Tuesday marks the third sabotage effort in the region in recent weeks. Earlier, on August 28, scrap metal was found on a goods train track in Chhabra Baran, and on August 23, the Ahmedabad-Jodhpur Vande Bharat Express collided with a cement block in Pali.
In a related incident, an attempt to derail the Bhiwani-Prayagraj Kalindi Express was made on Monday in Kanpur by placing an LPG cylinder, petrol bottle, and matchboxes on the tracks. This comes after a similar attempt targeting the Ahmedabad-Jodhpur Vande Bharat Express in Pali district.
The NIA has joined the investigation into the Kanpur sabotage case, where six individuals, including two local history-sheeters, have been detained. Authorities are examining whether there is any link to the recent Sabarmati Express derailment in the same area.
