In the wake of the terror attacks that took place last month, Central Railway (CR) has decided to connect all CCTV cameras to a main server. The 12 new cameras, which will be installed at the Chhtrapati Shivaji Terminus will be connected to a central server. In due time the remaining 38 cameras at CST and other stations will also be equipped with the same facility.

According to S Mudgerikar, Chief Public Relations Officer, CR, “In the first phase, CR will connect these CCTV cameras directly to the main server at CST and later all CCTV cameras at 78 stations will be connected to a server.” He added, “These cameras will have internet protocol. Every camera will have an IP address and password. After this is done important modes like recording will be monitored by the server.” The attacks exposed the fact that 16 cameras installed in the mainline section of CST, had not been recording the events at the terminus. While the monitor of these cameras was working, their recording mode was dysfunctional.

S C Parhi, Senior Division Security commissioner, has initiated a inquiry in this case. According to Parhi, these cameras stopped recording due to a technical snag but this information was not passed on to the concerned department. He claims that apart from the RPF, nobody knew that the recording mode of these cameras was not working.

“Why is it that at the time of the attack, recording mode of these cameras was not working at mainline station of CST, not in suburban section of CST. In other stations also, recording was suspended at important places. This decision of CR will work. RPF staff disable recording by CCTV cameras at the Foot Over Bridges where hawkers sit so that their acts may not be recorded,” said a ticket checker posted at a suburban station.

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