Rly plans to link passengers’ identity card to IRCTC site

Rly plans to link passengers’ identity card to IRCTC site

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:29.06.2021

The railways is speeding up implementation of tech-oriented initiatives to make travel hassle-free and safe when services return to normal.

It plans to link passengers’ identity cards to tickets to crack down on touts; expand the centralised CCTV camera network so that live footage from stations and trains can be monitored in zones and at railway board level under a good surveillance and response mechanism; and create an app for railway staff and passengers to upload complaints on board trains.

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) is looking at the possibility of linking government issued identity cards like Aadhaar card or PAN cards to IRCTC site for online booking to ensure only genuine passengers travel and to crack down on touts.

Work is also on to have centralised CCTV surveillance of all stations at zonal level and also at railway board level, said RPF director general Arun Kumar.

The railways is working to create a network for linking the cards with the ticketing site. As part of the initiative to increase surveillance at stations and on trains, CCTV networks are being expanded with a central monitoring system at all railway zones, he added.

In Southern Railway, work began long ago and the CCTV network in 43 stations is linked to a central monitoring facility in Chennai where staff watch the footage for better response to needs of passengers and to prevent crime.

The monitoring facility at zonal level has been set up at MGR Central railway station. The initiative started with 33 stations including Thirumailai, Pazhavanthangal, St Thomas Mount, Chengalpet, Villupuram, Mayiladuthurai, Kovilpatti Tuticorin, Tirupur, Salem and Erode in TN and others in neighbouring states.

An official said it would be expanded in the coming months.

The surveillance will be complemented with an easy-to-use app for passengers to register complaints with railway staff and RPF on trains.

The rail suraksha app will soon be launched using which TTE or RPF or railway police will be able to upload the complaint of passengers for registering at the appropriate location.

This is aimed at eliminating hassles faced by passengers in filing complaints, leading to crime going undetected, Arunkumar.

As part of the initiative to increase surveillance at stations and on trains, CCTV networks are being expanded with a central monitoring system at all railway zones, he added.said RPF director general Arun Kumar