Mumbai, Delhi Among First Cities to Use AI-Based Facial Recognition At Railway Stations To Identify Sex Offenders

The Indian government will soon begin using artificial intelligence-based facial recognition systems at major railway stations, including Mumbai CST, New Delhi, and Ahmedabad, to track individuals listed in the National Database on Sexual Offenders (NDSO). The initiative is part of a broader plan to enhance passenger safety, particularly for women, under the Centre’s Safe City project.

The AI system will be linked with CCTV cameras installed at railway stations, reports TOI. It is designed to scan faces in real-time and compare them with entries in the NDSO, which currently contains over two million records of convicted sex offenders. The goal is to flag known individuals attempting to enter or travel via railways, allowing authorities to take appropriate action.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has approved this pilot rollout at seven major stations across the country. In addition to Mumbai CST and New Delhi, the system will also be deployed at Bengaluru, Chennai, Howrah, Ahmedabad, and Pune stations. These locations were selected due to their high footfall and strategic significance in the rail network.

The initiative follows a petition filed in the Supreme Court by the Women Lawyers’ Association, highlighting the need for enhanced protection for women, especially in public transport hubs. The petition cited rising crimes against women and noted low conviction rates—less than two percent compared to the number of pending cases.

Apart from facial recognition, the Safe City project includes installation of smart lighting, emergency call boxes, automated number plate recognition, and AI surveillance tools like drones. These measures are being implemented in several metropolitan cities, including Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.

Officials have emphasized the system will comply with existing privacy norms and operate under clearly defined usage guidelines. If successful, the technology could be expanded to more stations and other public areas in the future.