The security upgrade also extends to surveillance systems. About 11,000 cameras inside more than 350 trains, including women’s coaches
Delhi Metro has begun a major overhaul of its security infrastructure, a month after a terror attack near Lal Qila Metro station raised fresh concerns over passenger safety on the city’s busiest transport network.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), which carries between 6 and 6.5 million passengers a day, is installing AI-powered X-ray baggage scanners at entry gates across its network. The new systems are designed to automatically detect explosives, weapons and prohibited items in real time.
So far, 76 older scanners have been replaced at high-footfall stations including Barakhamba Road, Chandni Chowk, Central Secretariat, Chawri Bazar, Hauz Khas and Vishwavidyalaya. DMRC said all stations on the upcoming Phase 4 corridors will be equipped with the technology from the outset.
The security upgrade also extends to surveillance systems. About 11,000 cameras inside more than 350 trains, including women’s coaches, and a further 13,000 cameras across platforms, escalators and ticket counters are being upgraded to high-resolution IP cameras with video analytics, according to Jagran.
Even the 70 oldest trains from Phase 1 of the network, which were originally commissioned without onboard cameras, are now being retrofitted with surveillance equipment as part of their mid-life refurbishment.
DMRC officials said the new baggage scanners use high-resolution cameras on both entry and exit points, recording each scan as a video clip for audit and review. The system can flag abandoned or stolen bags and automatically highlight knives, firearms, explosives or other suspicious objects on operators’ screens.
A senior DMRC official said the goal was to position Delhi Metro among the safest urban transport systems globally. “These technologies allow instant threat detection and are designed to give passengers greater confidence while travelling,” the official said.
With daily ridership now exceeding pre-pandemic levels, the security upgrade is being viewed as both a direct response to the Red Fort incident and a longer-term measure to strengthen the metro network against future threats.
