MEXIPUERTO Ciudad
Azteca subway station, designed to ease the traffic problem in Mexico City and
outlying areas, transports more than 150,000 passengers a day. At rush hour, as
many as 1,000 travelers per minute board the trains. Mexipuerto’s security
committee wanted to install a surveillance system that could help the busy transportation
hub ensure the safety of its customers.
The technology
needed to integrate with the station’s TCP/IP network to provide optimum
performance during service hours without sacrificing image quality. To meet
these needs and working with Mexican surveillance system integrator MICROM,
Mexipuerto Ciudad Azteca management deployed more than 100 Axis Communications
network cameras in the busiest areas of the station.
“With a
high-quality video surveillance system and video analytics we can better
monitor and control the flow of people and help the station guarantee better
service for commuters”
These network
cameras transmit video and audio information via advanced H.264 compression protocol,
which minimizes storage requirements and bandwidth consumption while
maintaining crisp image quality. Security staff also leverages video analytics
to maintain safety both inside and outside the station.
Within the first
six months of operation, the network video cameras have alerted security
personal about suspicious individuals loitering and atypical situations that
might potentially endanger travelers. The analytics have helped transportation
managers track traffic patterns both inside and outside the station to improve
the efficiency of public buses and train schedules.
Improving traffic
control with IP Video
Mexipuerto is an
extremely busy junction point for multiple transportation systems, including
the Metroline B, intercity and interstate buses and taxi service. The network
cameras help the security department proactively maintain public order.
Monitoring entrances, exits and typically congested areas such as hallways,
parking lots and walkways gives security personnel a feel for pedestrian
traffic.
The cameras can
track passengers from subway exits to bus stops and react quickly to
emergencies. With video analytics, people counting at entrances and exits can
help substation managers to determine security staffing levels, especially
during peak travel times.
“The greatest
challenge for us in this subway station is to help Mexipuerto properly schedule
public transport so that they can minimize a passenger’s commute time,” said
Maritza Torres Ruiz, design engineer with MICROM.
“With a
high-quality video surveillance system and video analytics we can better
monitor and control the flow of people and help the station guarantee better
service for commuters,”
In addition to
public transportation services, Mexipuerto Ciudad Azteca has a two-story
shopping center with about 100 retail stores. There are also plans to build a
Hospital Star Medica and a supermarket on the third level of the subway
station. In the future, Mexipuerto hopes to expand its surveillance system to
cover these areas as well.
Different cameras
for different locations
Given the number
of challenges presented by the bustling passenger hub, MICROM recommended a
variety of Axis network cameras to adequately monitor the subway station. AXIS
212-V PTZ network cameras provide a 140-degree viewing angle and a 3X instant
zoom. Bi-directional audio also allows security personnel to establish a direct
link between the camera and the monitoring station. Plus the tamper-resistant
casing prevents vandals from damaging or moving the cameras.
AXIS 221 fixed
network cameras support automatic day/night functionality making them ideal for
Mexipuerto’s parking lots where lighting conditions vary greatly in a 24-hour
period. The cameras’ progressive scan image sensors ensure that objects in
motion are captured without blurriness.
Mexipuerto has
also deployed AXIS 232D+ PTZ Network Cameras to provide 360-degree coverage in
select areas of the subway station. This allows Mexipuerto to work more
efficiently with its existing staff by leveraging the 18x optical zoom and 12x
digital zoom with automatic focus and configuring up to 50 preset positions for
automatic guard tours.
For places
needing even greater security levels, Mexipuerto uses Axis 233D PTZ Network
Cameras with 35x zoom and 12x digital zoom. This allows security personnel to
focus on small objects at long distances, such as reading a vehicle plates at
distances of more than 100 meters. These network cameras can pan and tilt from
0.05 to 450 degrees in less than second, making it possible to monitor a person
walking from 400 meters away.
Mexipuerto is
also using the high-resolution AXIS P3343-V and AXIS P3343-VE fixed dome
network cameras equipped with automatic day/night functionality and remote
focus capabilities to obtain the best clarity in areas with a wide range of
poorly-lit and well-illuminated areas. They support H.264 video compression,
which enables Mexipuerto to optimize the use of the available bandwidth and
archive video more efficiently.
Choosing the
right network camera for the task at hand, MICROM has helped Mexipuerto Ciudad
Azteca create a completely secure environment both inside and outside the
facility. The high image quality makes it very easy for security personnel to
identify people, spot odd behavior and respond quickly to prevent a situation
from escalating.
Not only is the
network camera system flexible and user friendly, it is easily scalable to
accommodate expansion plans that Mexipuerto may have in the foreseeable future.
Network cameras can be added to the system individually or in groups.
“Axis cameras are
designed for scalability, making them the ideal equipment to handle our
projected growth,” said Dra. Florencia Serranía, Mexipuerto Cuidad Azteca.
“It’s an important cost-benefit that allows us to keep pace with future
requirements of Mexipuerto Ciudad Azteca and remain in the vanguard subway
station security.”
