Has CCTV been installed in railway stations? Kerala High Court asks Centre, Railways to explain measures to ensure safety of women passengers

The Kerala High Court has sought responses from the Central government, Indian Railways and Southern Railway authorities regarding the measures implemented by them to ensure compliance with railway safety guidelines previously issued by the Court, especially in matters concerning safety of female passengers (Suo Motu Vs. Union of India and Ors.). .A Division Bench of Justices Anil K Narendran and Ziyad Rahman AA asked whether proposed measures like installation of video surveillance in twenty-eight railways stations identified in Kerala for the same, have been carried out. "The respondents shall state as to whether the arrangements noted in the judgment of the Division Bench in 'Rajani K.N. Vs. Ministry of Railways and Ors.' and connected cases are being adhered to and also the proposed measures like installation of video surveillance system under 'Nirbhaya Scheme' in 28 identified railway stations in State of Kerala have already been implemented," the Court ordered in a suo motu case initiated by the Court earlier this year. .In April of this year, single-judge Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas had expressed concerns regarding the safety of railway passengers after taking note of a news report which said that a 31-year-old female railway passenger in Ernakulam had jumped off a moving train after she was attacked. She had sustained head injuries.Thereafter, Chief Justice S Manikumar issued an order to initiate the present suo motu case. .The Division Bench, in its order of June 11, 2021, referred to the Railways Act, 1989 which contains various provisions to secure the safety of passengers, including female passengers ( Sections 57, 58, 59) and to ensure payment of compensation for loss due to any untoward incident (Sections 123, 124, 124(A))..The Court specifically referred to the measures that the Railway Administration had stated to have implemented in Rajani K.N. to ensure safety and security of passengers in trains and railway premises. .These measures included, inter alia, the deployment of RPF staff/GPR during night hours in ladies coaches and railway stations, video coverage of general coaches, installation of CCTVs at important stations/junctions and also the proposed video surveillance system under Nirbhaya Scheme in 28 identified railway stations in State of Kerala..The Division Bench had, in 2016, disposed of the petition and connected matters recording satisfaction with these measures, which were stated to have already been adopted and implemented by the Railway Administration, and directed that it should be adhered to for all time to come..During the course of the hearing, Justice Narendran, made particular reference to the legal maxim of "salus populi suprema lex" which means welfare of the people is the highest law. He also observed that authorities have an obligation to ensure the right to life and personal liberty as under Article 21..The Bench remarked that the root cause of untoward incidents in trains seemed to be failure on the part of railway authorities to effectively implement measures for the protection of passengers. They referred to the horrifying circumstances of Soumya case of 2011 when a man raped and murdered a young woman while she was travelling in a train in Kerala. The Court suggested the installation of CCTV cameras in every compartment and panic buttons to alert railway staff of any incidents require immediate attention..The Court appointed Advocate R Leela as Amicus Curiae to assist this Court in the matter.The case will be heard next on July 13, 2021 before which the respondents have to file their affidavits.