Raipur, Oct 12 (PTI) Railway Protection Force (RPF) Director General Sonali Mishra on Monday said the force was evolving into a passenger-centric, service-oriented and technology-enabled organisation, with equipment worth around Rs 125 crore being procured to strengthen crime prevention and detection.
Addressing the 42nd Raising Day parade of the RPF at the Railway Workshop Ground in Raipur, she said CCTV surveillance has proved to be a game-changer in securing railway premises, passenger areas and property.
Its use has helped improve the detection of incidents involving stone-pelting, theft of passengers’ belongings, trespassing and other untoward incidents, Mishra pointed out.
“At the foundation day event held at the training centre in Valsad in 2025, the Railway Minister had emphasised the use of technology. Several steps have been taken over the past year to incorporate new technologies into the force’s security system and equipment worth around Rs 125 crore is being procured,” she said.
The procurement includes hardware for Criminal Procedure Identification (CrPI) System and National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) at a cost of Rs 16.50 crore, and modern communication equipment, including walkie-talkie sets and accessories, worth Rs 47.50 crore, the DG informed.
Facilities worth Rs 28 crore are being developed at RPF training centres, including Facial Recognition Systems (FRS), video analytics-enabled CCTV surveillance labs and access control labs, along with an advanced drone training and surveillance lab at Jagjivan Ram RPF Academy in Lucknow, she said.
“The force is also procuring 22,000 body-worn cameras at a cost of Rs 33 crore. The procurement processes for these technological solutions are at an advanced stage. Personnel are being trained to ensure their effective use,” she added.
Mishra said the use of drones in railway security had increased significantly, with the force’s drone inventory registering a nearly 120 per cent rise over the past year.
More than 2,000 RPF personnel had been trained in drone operations, and the training programme is continuing, the DG added.
To strengthen the verification of contractual workers in Railway, the RPF, in collaboration with National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), has implemented a web-based National Crime Record Check application for preliminary verification, she said.
Data of around 1.67 lakh railway contractual workers has been uploaded and subjected to preliminary verification, and those found to be involved in serious crimes have been removed, she said.
The RPF Security Management System was customised and operationalised as an e-crime analytics module in mid-February 2026, enabling vulnerability mapping, predictive analytics and digital compilation and analysis of crime-related data, Mishra said.
The system has eliminated the need for field units to maintain crime-related data manually, she said.
Standalone cameras have been effectively deployed to strengthen the security of tracks and bridges on East Coast Railway and are being extended to all railway zones, she added.
“The procurement of artificial intelligence-enabled social media analytics tools is in its final stage. The tools will help the force monitor social media in near real time and respond promptly to crime-related signals, complaints and information,” she said.
On recruitment, she said the Railway Minister had given his consent to conduct the recruitment of RPF sub-inspectors and constables through the Staff Selection Commission (SSC).
Constable recruitment through the SSC would be ensured from the coming year, enabling regular recruitment and smoother cadre management, she said.
The process of recruiting Agniveers into the RPF in accordance with the Centre’s policy is also underway, she added.
Referring to the Centre’s vision of a drug-free India by 2029, Mishra said the RPF has been working under a whole-of-government approach to curb narcotics trafficking.
“Sensitive routes, trains and railway stations have been identified under the action plan. RPF seized narcotic substances worth around Rs 223 crore in the first nine months of 2026. Further progress is needed in this area,” she said.
Mishra also read out a message from Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, informing that he was scheduled to attend the event as the chief guest but could not do so due to unavoidable circumstances. PTI TKP BNM
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