The Union railway ministry has selected 13 stations under Ferozepur railway division, including four from Punjab circle for the integrated security system. The stations selected include, from Punjab; Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Pathankot Cantonment, from Jammu & Kashmir ; Pampore, Srinagar, Budgam, Punjgam, Anantnag, Udhampur, Awantipore, Pampore, Mazhom. The surveillance mechanism of stations is being strengthened as they have been identified as sensitive.
After consultation with the zonal railways, 202 stations across country were narrowed down for the integrated security system (ISS). The system comprises of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras, access control, personal and baggage screening, bomb detection and disposal system. A railway official said, “The project has been in pipeline for past two years and was to be carried out by the railway headquarters.”
The project has been divided into two parts. The work of the CCTV installations is given to the state divisions. Baggage screening, bomb detection and other works of strengthening surveillance mechanism will be dealt by the Centre based chief single telecom and engineer (CSTE) project wing of the railways. The Ferozepur railway division of Northern railways has already floated tenders for CCTV cameras for 13 stations.
Divisional commercial manager (DCM) Rajneesh Shrivastava said that the tenders will open on August 17. “We take 3 months to decide about the tenders and the CCTV installations in all the stations will take another five months,” said Shrivastava. Notably the previous SAD-BJP government had installed CCTV cameras in some of the cities’ stations including Jalandhar city, controlled by government railway police (GRP). “The work of the CCTV cameras have been given to different contractors. There is no uniformity in the surveillance mechanism,” the official said.
