AI, advanced surveillance to boost passenger safety, curb drug trafficking on Western Railway

Western Railway authorities have stepped up efforts to strengthen passenger safety and curb drug trafficking by deploying artificial intelligence, surveillance systems and advanced policing tools across railway jurisdictions in Gujarat.

Gujarat Director General of Police (CID Crime & Railways) Dr K L N Rao issued the directions while chairing the Western Railway crime conference in Ahmedabad on Sunday. He called for faster handling of complaints, stronger policing on trains and enhanced security measures at stations.

Rao reviewed the e-FIR system, stressing the need to streamline the process so that complaints are registered and resolved quickly. He also directed officials to expand CCTV coverage and technology-based monitoring at railway stations to improve detection and response to criminal activity.

Officials were asked to maintain a stronger police presence on trains and conduct regular patrols at stations and vulnerable locations. The focus will include preventing theft and pickpocketing, particularly in crowded railway areas where passengers and their belongings can be vulnerable.

Rao also called for wider use of modern software and intelligence platforms, including Sudarshan, Gandiv and NATGRID (National Intelligence Grid), to support crime prevention, surveillance and investigations.

The conference placed particular emphasis on the fight against narcotics trafficking through railway routes. Officials were instructed to intensify checks of suspicious passengers and luggage to intercept illegal consignments before they reach their destinations.

The DGP stressed that investigations should go beyond seizures and arrests, with agencies tracing cases to the source and supply chain. This approach is aimed at identifying organisers, financiers and links behind trafficking operations.

Authorities were further directed to conduct coordinated special operations against inter-state drug trafficking gangs, recognising that railway networks can be exploited to move narcotics across state borders.

The measures reflect a push to combine technology-driven surveillance with stronger ground-level policing. By integrating digital complaint systems, intelligence tools, CCTV monitoring and coordinated enforcement, Western Railway officials aim to create a safer environment for passengers while disrupting criminal and narcotics networks operating through the rail corridor.