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Since 2020, the vast network of CCTV cameras under Delhi’s Public Works Department (PWD) has aided the Delhi Police in over 10,000 cases, it is learnt.
According to a government document, the PWD has shared 12,000 CCTV footage with the police to date. Besides this, more than 10,000 court summons have been attended to by the PWD and Bharat Electronics Limited, the company awarded work for installation and maintenance of CCTVs in Delhi, it stated.
The previous AAP government began installation of CCTVs across the city, and 1.40 lakh cameras each were installed in two phases. Apart from improving women’s safety, the government’s key aim had been to cover residential areas and markets.
A senior PWD official said, “CCTV footage has been given to Delhi Police and court on request as electronic evidence in the court of law. Besides, the presence of CCTV cameras also acts as a deterrent to criminal activity such as theft, vandalism or anti-social behaviour.”
Officials said the surveillance system has also helped detect fires, accidents and medical emergencies, allowing for a quick response from authorities or security.
A senior police officer said CCTV footage has become primary evidence in most cases, unless a particular area has a defunct camera. “Be it theft or murder, CCTV footage is the first thing that is used to corroborate the identity of the accused. It’s then matched with other available evidence,” he said.
The officer said footage is first sent to the forensics department to determine if the person on camera is the person the police are after. “In cases where the area is of high density, or the accused is covering their face, forensics match them with other evidence to establish the case in court. It also depends on the judge, whether they look at it as critical to the case. Usually, they do,” the officer said.
The Delhi government, meanwhile, is planning a comprehensive overhaul of the city’s surveillance system. Under the ‘Delhi CCTV Surveillance Project’, the BJP government’s key objective is to support the police in maintaining law and order, act as an ‘aid to investigation’, and to provide safety and security to the citizens.
As part of this, officials said, it plans to install 50,000 more cameras, covering all 70 constituencies. It also plans to develop a new software platform, called the Delhi CCTV Monitoring System, to track and monitor all cameras, they added.
The PWD is also working on developing and upgrading the software of the Command and Control Centre (CCC), located at the PWD headquarters, and is planning to expand it to each police station. The command centre receives footage from all installed cameras, stores the feed, and monitors it, said officials. The video footage from these cameras is stored for 30 days, with a 5-7 day reserve data backup built into the system.
Amid the ongoing upgradation, officials said the government has restricted local access to CCTV feeds for homeowners, RWAs and market associations — a feature that was previously available. Now, officials said it is planned that only the area district magistrate, Deputy Commissioner of Police, local police and the PWD will have access to playback and live views within WiFi range, as well as remote viewing (without admin rights).
Also in the works, officials said, is an online portal to closely track and monitor complaints and address issues as soon they are received.
Further, the government has proposed to extend the Comprehensive Annual Maintenance Contract for CCTV cameras under Phase I to the current company for a three-year period at a cost of Rs 201 crore. A proposal has been submitted.
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