File Photo: Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on monday inaugurated the Integrated Security System (ISS) installed with a total cost Rs 21.72 crore at four railway stations in the metropolis comprising CST, Dadar, Kurla and LTT.
The system will monitor passenger activities through a network of CCTV cameras at six railway stations comprising CST, Dadar, Kurla, LTT, Kalyan and Thane.
The ISS is aimed at improving security on Railway premises, ensuring safety of the people and averting terror attacks.
He also inaugurated a modified foot over bridge (FOB) to facilitate passenger movement at Diva, new FOB at Vithalwadi apart from laying the foundation stone of a multi-level two-wheeler parking at Thane.
Once completed, the project would take up the parking area to 3000 sq mt from 700 sq mt earlier.
While the work of the first phase of the project was completed in June 2015, the second phase is expected to be completed by December 2016.
"There are a plenty of hindrances to expand our network in Mumbai in order to overcome the ailing issues including safety and security issues of passengers, nevertheless, we are taking all possible steps to safeguard passengers," Mr Prabhu
said.
Stressing that providing security is the primary responsibility of Railways, the minister said, "Along with world, Indian Railways too has adopted such technology in controlling the crime in railway stations."
Integrated Security System, installed with a total cost Rs 21.72 crore at Dadar, has a total of 118 CCTV cameras that will beam the live images of railway stations under its coverage on six monitors.
"This will give a much needed fillip to the security of passengers," he added.
Mr Prabhu also emphasised on maintaining cleanliness at the rail premises and asked the General Manager of the Central Railway and Western Railway, S K Sood, to prepare a disposal draft jointly with municipal corporations of greater Mumbai and Thane.
State Transport minister and Shiv Sena leader Diwakar Raote accused earlier railway ministers of discriminating against Maharashtra and Mumbai.
"Earlier 'Bhaiya' (colloquial term for north Indians) ministers such as Lalu (Lalu Prasad Yadav), Nitish (Nitish Kumar) and Paswan (Ramvilas Paswan) took care of their home state. Now, I appeal to Suresh Prabhu to do the same for Maharashtra," he said.
According to Sood, the modified FOB would enable fast trains to make halt at Diva station after becoming operational.