DMRC Refutes Claims Of Faulty CCTVs, Says Women’s Safety Not Compromised

Pink ‘Saheli’ card is for metro and bus travel. (Representative Image)

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Sunday refuted reports suggesting that a large number of CCTV cameras in the Metro network are non-functional, calling the claims “misleading” and asserting that women’s safety is not compromised.

The clarification follows media reports citing RTI data which showed that between 2020 and 2024, around 300–500 CCTV cameras inside Delhi Metro trains were found non-functional each year. The information was obtained by researchers Mishthi Khurana and Yashika Jain, who filed an RTI as part of a study on women’s safety in the Metro, the Indian Express reported.

In a detailed statement, DMRC said conclusions drawn from an RTI reply had been “misinterpreted” and stressed that nearly 24,000 CCTV cameras across trains and stations remain operational every day, with only a “negligible percentage” undergoing routine maintenance at any given time.

“Out of 24,000 CCTVs functional in its network daily, the annual figures of non-functional cameras as given in response to one RTI is in the range of 300–500. This figure is not a daily figure. Rather, it’s an annual figure,” the corporation said, adding that this translates to just one or two cameras being serviced on any given day.

DMRC emphasised that the surveillance system, comprising about 11,000 cameras inside trains and 13,000 across stations, is monitored regularly and faulty units are repaired or replaced immediately. “No train is inducted in revenue services with faulty CCTV,” it said.

Rejecting claims that women commuters are at risk, DMRC noted that the network includes women-only coaches, emergency alarm buttons inside coaches, and real-time intervention by security personnel. It also highlighted the presence of CISF’s “Kali Squad”, female commandos trained to respond to offences against women.

“DMRC is considered one of the best modes of public transport in terms of providing safe, secure and seamless travel,” the statement said, underscoring that no major untoward incidents have been reported over the years.

The Metro agency added that cameras are being upgraded to advanced systems with video analytics, while older fleets are being retrofitted with new IP-based cameras.

“Passenger safety and security is given utmost priority,” DMRC said, urging commuters to use dedicated helplines, including the women’s helpline 1091, to report concerns.

“Besides this, a Kali squad is also in place, which is a security initiative by the CISF in the Delhi Metro that uses plainclothes and uniformed female commandos trained in the Filipino martial art, Pekiti-Tirsia Kali. These commandos are time to time deployed to protect women commuters by responding to issues like male intruders in ladies’ coaches and other offenses. They are trained to use everyday objects like pens or hairpins as weapons to neutralize threats and are deployed on metro trains and platforms,” the statement added.