East Coast Railway has reported a 79% fall in crime and safety-related incidents at vulnerable locations after deploying solar-powered CCTV cameras under its EAGLANCE surveillance initiative. Cases recorded between January 1 and October 20 fell from 229 in 2025 to 49 in 2026, according to an official statement cited by the railway zone.
The decline was reported across several categories, including sabotage, cable cutting, stone pelting, theft of passenger belongings and alarm chain pulling. Cases involving sabotage and the placement of foreign materials fell from two to zero, while cable-cutting cases declined from 10 to three. Stone-pelting cases dropped from 20 to three, and theft of passenger belongings fell from two to zero.
Alarm chain pulling accounted for the largest number of incidents in the comparison, but these cases also declined sharply, from 186 to 42. Other crime-related incidents fell from nine to one during the period covered by the railway’s analysis.
The Railway Protection Force introduced EAGLANCE as a surveillance system for remote and power-deficient areas, including locations described by the railway as Naxal-affected. The solar-powered cameras have been installed at railway stations, level crossings, bridges, tunnels, isolated track stretches, yards and other locations considered vulnerable.
According to East Coast Railway, the system provides round-the-clock real-time monitoring and recording. The cameras are equipped with integrated lightning protection, allowing them to operate in locations where conventional power supply may be difficult to provide. The railway said the surveillance network helps the RPF identify suspicious activity, take preventive action and support investigations into offences.
The initiative also links railway security to the availability of basic power and communications infrastructure. By using solar power at remote sites, the railway is extending electronic monitoring beyond locations with established grid connectivity. The railway said the system has helped protect its assets and improve passenger safety.
East Coast Railway has sanctioned 2,459 solar-powered CCTV cameras under Phase-I and Works and Maintenance provisions across its Khurda Road, Rayagada and Sambalpur divisions. Of these, 1,006 cameras have been installed. Khurda Road has received 543 cameras, while Rayagada has 66 and Sambalpur 397.
Installation of the remaining 1,453 cameras is in progress. The pending installations comprise 500 cameras in Khurda Road division, 350 in Rayagada and 603 in Sambalpur. The railway’s next operational milestone is the completion of this wider deployment across the three divisions.
