Pune Railway Station Gets AI-Powered CCTV System To Identify Criminals Within 90 Seconds

Pune: Passenger security at Pune railway station has received a major technological upgrade with the installation of an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled CCTV surveillance system capable of identifying known criminals within 90 seconds of their entry into the station premises.

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has introduced the advanced surveillance system as part of efforts to strengthen security at one of Central Railway's busiest stations. Once the system identifies a listed offender through facial recognition technology, it immediately sends alerts to RPF personnel and the station control room, enabling swift action.

The AI-powered system is connected to an RPF database containing details of more than 1,000 habitual offenders and history-sheeters. It is also integrated with intelligence inputs from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Pune Police, allowing authorities to trace other wanted individuals more efficiently.

Pune railway station handles nearly 1.7 lakh passengers and around 250 train movements every day, including approximately 170 trains that either originate or terminate at the station. Officials said the upgraded surveillance system is expected to significantly improve passenger safety and crime detection.

Around 160 CCTV cameras have been installed across the station, with several equipped with facial recognition capabilities. Besides identifying suspects, the AI system can detect unattended baggage, suspicious objects and overcrowding. It can also trace individuals based on clothing colour and other visual characteristics. If crowd density rises beyond the normal limit by more than 30%, the system automatically alerts the control room, allowing officials to take preventive measures.

Railway authorities said the CCTV network has been developed in accordance with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology guidelines, ensuring compliance with national surveillance standards.

Senior Divisional Security Commissioner of the RPF, Pune Division, Priyanka Sharma said the AI-based surveillance system has been introduced to enhance passenger safety. She added that information on known criminals has already been uploaded to the system, while additional records are being updated. According to her, the technology will help security agencies identify suspects more quickly and further strengthen security arrangements at Pune railway station.