Video analytics to avert stampede on CR footbridge

In order to avert stampedes at suburban stations, Central Railway (CR) intends to use ‘video analytics’ technology, which will enable it to verify if the number of commuters on a footbridge exceeds a predefined safety benchmark.

If there are indications that the crowd is excessive and is considered ‘unsafe’, the control room will immediately get an alert notification and security personnel will be dispatched to the site to bring the situation under control.

“We have selected seven stations like Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Kurla, Thane, Dadar, Kalyan and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), where this technology will be used and crowd data will be extracted through video surveillance,” said a CR official.

This is one of the preventive measures that CR is taking to avoid another stampede-like situation at suburban stations. “Through this technology, we will obtain data of crowds at every station. As of now, a pilot project is underway at Thane and Kalyan stations and if we are successful in controlling crowds thus, it will be used at all suburban stations,” said SK Jain, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), CR.

Jain said that they will mark platforms whose widths are less than four metres and CCTVs will be installed on the landing of the connected foot overbridge (FOB). “The machine that analyses this crowd will get live feed. In case of disturbance, an alert will sound in the control room and security personnel will immediately reach the spot to handle the situation,” he added.