Rs 120-crore CCTV surveillance for mangroves across MMR, e-tender to close Sept 24

The network will be equipped with advanced features, including automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) and integration with key databases such as VAAHAN Sarathi, passport, crime and criminal tracking network and systems (CCTNS), Prisons and the Automated Multimodal Biometric Identification System (AMBIS).

A request for proposals (RFP) for the project was issued Wednesday, with e-tenders set to close September 24. Officials expect the system to be operational within a year, provided there are no delays.

BN Kumar, director of NatConnect Foundation, said “At last, the government is acting. However, the CCTV network will only cover areas under jurisdiction of the forest department. Mangroves under control of other government bodies, such as CIDCO and JNPA, still remain vulnerable,” lamented Kumar.

Nandakumar Pawar, head of Sagar Shakti environmental group, welcomed the news. He said, “This is like an official recognition of the 289-hectare inter-tidal water body as a wetland, a status that has long been disputed by local authorities.”

Additional principal chief conservator of Forests and Mangrove Cell head, SV Rama Rao, emphasised that this “high priority” project is designed not only to protect the environment but also to reassure citizens that their surroundings are being pro-actively safeguarded. “This initiative will instill confidence among people that the city’s ecological health is being preserved,” said Rao.

The surveillance system will include night-vision cameras to monitor illegal activities that could damage the mangrove ecosystems. It will feature a central control room, zonal recording stations, and an alarm management module for continuous monitoring and event-triggered alerts.