Mumbai Local News: Western Railway to Get 1,000 Additional Body Cameras for TCs

Mumbai 's local train network is set to see stricter ticket checks and increased security for railway staff, with Western Railway (WR) planning to procure 1,000 body cameras for its ticket checkers. The move follows two incidents in which women ticket-checking staff were allegedly assaulted while confronting passengers travelling without valid tickets.

The initiative is already showing results during Western Railway's special ticket-checking drive across Mumbai. In the first three days of the campaign, which began on October 31, teams using body cameras caught approximately 1,400 ticketless commuters daily, compared with the usual figure of around 300. It will continue until November 14.

Currently, Western Railway (WR) has 15 body cameras, each assigned to a ticket checker wearing a specially designed black jacket. These personnel have been deployed at major Mumbai stations, including Borivali, Andheri and Bandra, as well as on local trains.

A Western Railway official said the recordings would provide documented evidence in cases involving disputes or alleged assaults. The footage will also be used to train ticket-checking staff in handling difficult situations.

The introduction of body cameras comes amid growing concerns about the safety of ticket-checking personnel on Mumbai's suburban railway network.