TLDR: The Indian Union government plans to implement AI-based facial recognition systems at seven key railway stations, including Mumbai CST and New Delhi, to track and deter sexual offenders. This initiative comes as the National Database on Sexual Offenders (NDSO) surpasses 20 lakh entries, highlighting a critical need for enhanced security measures.
In a significant move to bolster women’s safety and curb sexual offenses, the Union government of India has informed the Supreme Court of its intentions to deploy advanced Artificial Intelligence-based facial recognition systems at seven major railway stations across the country. This strategic implementation aims to identify and track individuals listed in the National Database on Sexual Offenders (NDSO), which has recently exceeded 20 lakh entries.
The announcement was made in an affidavit submitted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to the Supreme Court, addressing serious concerns raised by the Supreme Court Women Lawyers’ Association through a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding the escalating crimes against women. The MHA detailed various steps being undertaken to tackle this pressing issue.
The AI-powered facial recognition technology will be integrated into existing and new surveillance infrastructure. Currently, the Integrated Emergency Response Management System (IERMS) is operational in 499 out of 983 major railway stations, providing 24×7 security for women passengers. Additionally, the Konkan Railway Network has already installed 740 CCTV cameras across 67 stations, with plans for further expansion to include AI-based facial recognition at key hubs like Mumbai CST and New Delhi.
The NDSO, a crucial tool for law enforcement, contains comprehensive data including names, addresses, photographs, and fingerprint details of individuals involved in various sexual offenses such as rape, gangrape, eve teasing, stalking, and child abuse. With 20.28 lakh entries, this database is accessible to all police stations and law-enforcement agencies nationwide through the Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS).
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Beyond railway stations, the Centre also highlighted the implementation of ‘Safe City’ projects in eight major cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Lucknow. These projects focus on enhancing safety infrastructure through the installation of CCTV cameras equipped with facial recognition or automatic number plate recognition, alongside smart lighting systems and the use of drones for monitoring high-risk areas. A bench headed by Justice Surya Kant is scheduled to hear the PIL on Monday, further deliberating on these measures.
