With millions of women traveling every day across India’s sprawling railway network, safety in transit remains a paramount concern. The government is rolling out a landmark initiative: installing AI-powered facial recognition systems at seven major railway stations—including Mumbai CST and New Delhi—to identify and track sexual offenders through the National Database on Sexual Offenders (NDSO), a registry with over 20 lakh entries.
What Is the Initiative?
To prevent and respond more effectively to sexual crimes, the government is deploying advanced facial recognition technology at key transit hubs. These smart surveillance systems aim to:
- Instantly identify known sexual offenders.
- Alert Railway Protection Force (RPF) and police in real time.
- Enhance law enforcement coordination and response at busy stations.
- Deter potential offenders and boost public confidence.
The 7 Key Hubs (Model Stations)
While hundreds of stations are adopting CCTV and AI, seven major “model” stations have been announced for full-scale deployment:
How Do AI Facial Recognition Systems Work?
1. AI-Capable Cameras & Servers:
High-definition cameras scan crowds at all hours, feeding images to AI-powered recognition servers.
2. Real-Time Matching:
AI algorithms analyze faces and match them against the NDSO—a live database with millions of criminal records and biometric profiles.
3. Instant Alerts:
If a match is found, control room staff and police receive immediate alerts for preventive or reactive action.
4. Analytics Integration:
Integrated analytics servers enable quick, multi-agency coordination, speeding up the detection of habitual or traveling offenders.
About the National Database on Sexual Offenders (NDSO)
- Launched in 2018 after the Nirbhaya case to record convicted/arrested sexual offenders.
- Contains names, addresses, photographs, fingerprint details, and other identifiers.
- Information from police stations across India is regularly updated.
- Used exclusively by law enforcement to track, verify, and prevent repeat offenses.
- Holds over 13 lakh (1.3 million) individual profiles as of 2023, with some reports stating more than 20 lakh entries.
Special Focus on Women’s Safety
Why AI at Railway Stations?
- Railway stations are large, dynamic, and often crowded, making manual monitoring nearly impossible.
- Crimes against women in these locations are a persistent challenge—ranging from stalking and harassment to more serious assaults.
- AI-powered facial recognition allows for rapid, unbiased scanning and prompt intervention, especially during off-peak and night hours when security risks are heightened.
Broader Impact and Crime Deterrence
- Quick identification means offender movements are tracked even across states or cities.
- Helps rescue or assist women in distress swiftly.
- Deters repeat offenders from using train networks as safe havens for criminal activities.
Technology Features
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| AI Recognition | Continuous and automated offender detection |
| Real-time Alerts | Instant notification to law enforcement |
| Centralized Database | Rapid multi-agency coordination and response |
| Analytics Dashboard | Identifies crime patterns, optimizes security deployment |
| Privacy Safeguards | Data used only by authorized agencies, with regulated access |
+ There are no comments
Add yours