CCTV Cameras at Railway Stations and in Trains: Coverage and How It Works
Last updated: 1 August 2026
Indian Railways has built one of the largest video surveillance networks in the country, covering stations, platforms, booking areas and, increasingly, the coaches themselves. This guide sets out how many stations and coaches are covered today, what the cameras can now detect on their own, where they are placed inside trains, what happens to the footage, and how to ask for it if you need it after an incident.
Current Coverage
| Railway stations covered | 3,215 |
| Passenger coaches covered | 13,409 |
| Incidents detected, 2023 to June 2026 | 9,840 |
Installation continues as an ongoing programme rather than a finished project, so these figures rise steadily. All operational Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat rakes already carry onboard cameras.
Coverage by Zone
| Zone | Stations | Coaches |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Railway | 425 | 1,483 |
| Western Railway | 391 | 1,735 |
| Eastern Railway | 271 | Not stated |
| Central Railway | 240 | 1,384 |
| Konkan Railway | 72 | Not stated |
| Metro Railway, Kolkata | 37 | Not applicable |
Northern Railway leads on station coverage, while Western Railway leads on coaches.
What the Cameras Can Now Detect
The newer installations do more than record. Cameras at stations run AI-based video analytics that raise an alert automatically, without anyone watching the screen at that moment. Current capabilities include:
- Intrusion detection, flagging entry into restricted areas such as tracks and yards.
- Loitering detection, identifying someone lingering unusually long in a sensitive spot.
- Fallen-person detection, which matters on crowded platforms and near moving trains.
Between 2023 and June 2026, these systems flagged 9,840 security-related incidents across the network.
Cameras Inside Trains
Coach installation follows a deliberate design that balances security against privacy:
- Cameras go in the common movement areas near the doors, covering who enters and leaves a coach.
- They are not installed in seating or sleeping areas, so berths and cabins stay private.
- Specifications call for clear footage at speeds up to 100 kmph and in low light or darkness.
- Locomotive cabs are also being covered under the current programme.
On privacy: Railways has repeatedly stated that coach cameras cover only common areas and do not intrude on passenger berths. Footage retention and access are restricted to authorised officials and investigating agencies.
The Planned Expansion
Railways has approved a substantial scaling up of coach and locomotive coverage:
| Coaches | Four HD cameras per coach, across around 74,000 coaches |
| Locomotives | Six HD cameras per locomotive, across around 15,000 engines |
Alongside this, Railways is moving future procurement towards AI-enabled systems as standard, shifting surveillance from reconstructing events after the fact towards flagging problems as they develop. The technical standards for train CCTV, first framed by RDSO in 2018, have been revised several times to keep pace.
How Long Is Footage Kept
Recordings from station systems are generally retained for around 30 days for playback and investigation, with material relevant to a specific incident preserved for longer. The volume involved is considerable, since a single HD camera generates roughly a terabyte of data a month.
If You Need Footage After an Incident
Footage is not available to the public on request, but it can be obtained through the proper channel:
- Report the incident immediately to the RPF post at the station, or call the security helpline 182 or the railway helpline 139.
- Note the specifics: the station or train and coach number, the date and the time as precisely as you can, since footage is retrieved by timestamp.
- File a formal complaint with RPF or the Government Railway Police, because footage is released to investigating agencies rather than to individuals directly.
- Act quickly, given the roughly 30 day retention window.
For helpline details, see our railway helpline numbers guide.
Drone Surveillance
Cameras are one part of a wider security picture. The Railway Protection Force also operates drones for aerial surveillance of tracks, yards, workshops and station peripheries, a programme that began with Ninja UAVs on Central Railway’s Mumbai Division and has since expanded. Drones cover ground that would otherwise need several personnel, and they are used during festival crowds, for asset inspection, and at incident sites to help coordinate response.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many railway stations have CCTV cameras?
3,215 stations and 13,409 passenger coaches are covered, with installation continuing as an ongoing process.
Are there cameras inside train coaches?
Yes, in the common movement areas near the doors. They are not installed in seating or sleeping areas. All Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat rakes have them.
Can the cameras detect problems automatically?
Newer installations run AI video analytics covering intrusion, loitering and fallen-person detection, which flagged 9,840 incidents between 2023 and June 2026.
How long is CCTV footage stored?
Generally around 30 days, with incident-related footage retained longer.
How do I get CCTV footage of an incident?
Report it to RPF or on helpline 182 or 139 straight away, note the exact time and location, and file a formal complaint. Footage goes to investigating agencies, not to individuals.
Do the cameras invade passenger privacy?
Railways states that coach cameras cover only common areas near doors, leaving berths and cabins outside their view, with access to footage restricted to authorised officials.
Quick Summary
| Stations covered | 3,215 |
| Coaches covered | 13,409 |
| Leading zone, stations | Northern Railway, 425 |
| Leading zone, coaches | Western Railway, 1,735 |
| Camera placement in coaches | Common areas near doors only |
| Footage retention | Around 30 days |
| Planned | 4 cameras per coach across 74,000 coaches, 6 per locomotive across 15,000 engines |
| Report an incident | Helpline 182 or 139, or the RPF post |
Surveillance coverage on Indian Railways has grown from a few hundred stations to a network spanning thousands, and the cameras themselves now flag trouble rather than merely recording it. If something happens to you on a train or platform, report it the same day, because the footage that could help you has a limited shelf life. For more, see our guides on railway helpline numbers, medical facilities on trains, and train safety technologies.
Have you had to request CCTV footage after an incident? Tell us how it went in the comments, since readers often ask about the process.
