E-surveillance: Panchkula invites bids for installation of 56 CCTV cameras

The officials said that the maximum focus would on the entry points in the wake of several incidents of robbery in Panchkula, where the accused fled taking advantage of several entry points. Panchkula shares its border with Punjab (near Baltana, Zirakpur), Himachal Pradesh (near Kalka) and Chandigarh.

Four CCTV cameras will be installed near the entry point near Baltana, where Panchkula shares its border with Punjab, two near Sector 20-21 traffic light points, one each on either side of the highway. There will be two CCTV cameras at the railway crossing near Abheypur in Sector 19, which is a connecting link between Baltana (Zirakpur) and Panchkula.

Majri Chowk, near Sector 1, will also be a key focus area, with four cameras at the traffic light point, and three cameras near Old Panchkula T-point, keeping track of the traffic on the Kalka-Panckula highway. Three cameras will be installed on the periphery, near Ramgarh T-point. Both the areas are regarded as accident-prone areas of Panchkula.

In the internal areas of the town, four CCTV cameras will be installed near Sector 4-5 traffic light point in the vicinity of several state-level government offices, four cameras near Sector 11-15 roundabout, four CCTV cameras will be installed at Amartex Chowk and three cameras at Labour Chowk, Sector 14.

There will be one camera near the naka in Vikas Nagar, Panchkula, one at bridge near vigilance office, Sector 17, two near Sector 17-18 traffic light point, one outside General Hospital, Sector 6, one outside the office of Marketing Board office. There will be two cameras near traffic light point in Sector 9-10 outside Sector 5 Bus Stand. There will be five CCTV cameras placed in Mansa Devi Complex (MDC), out of which two will be installed around Dolphin Chowk, MDC.

The project for CCTV cameras had been hanging fire for over a year, ever since the Rs 1.55-crore robbery was reported in a jewellery shop in Mansa Devi Complex. The demand for cameras was again voiced by residents when four accused in a white Swift car allegedly robbed a senior citizen of Rs 9.8 lakh at Sector 8 market in broad daylight in March this year.

Commissioner of Police (Ambala-Panchkula) O P Singh said, “It is a good step by the corporation. CCTVs have been found to have definite crime prevention and detection value, provided machines are in adequate numbers, mounted at right points and duly secured. In fact, CCTV-aided security plan must be made mandatory for issuance of completion certificate to any building.”