Written by Jaidev Hemmady | Mumbai |
September 10, 2009 1:51:39 am
September 10, 2009 1:51:39 am
While Mumbais motorists are now being scrutinised as they weave through the financial capitals famed traffic pile-ups,the polices traffic department will now assist in monitoring security and law-and-order situations by expanding the surveillance system to include about 5,000 closed circuit television cameras across the city. Having earned valuable experience on using CCTVs to monitor traffic during the pilot runs of the just-initiated Area Traffic Control project,the traffic department is currently fine-tuning plans with the state government to install and use a much larger number of CCTV cameras to make the city better secured and easier to monitor.
JCP (Traffic) Sanjay Barve confirmed that his departments experience will come in handy in assisting other policing activities through the use of a CCTV-based system. The cameras will be installed at locations like multiplexes,malls,places of worship,schools,important traffic junctions,vital installations and all the important places of congregation, Barve said. The idea would be to make it easier for law-enforcement agencies to monitor the city and help during law-and-order situations.
Bids have been invited from private players and a decision is expected soon on what kind of cameras and what software would best suit the citys requirements.
Asked why the traffic department was being given such a responsibility,ACP (Traffic) Amarjit Singh said,We have earlier used CCTV cameras at 100 traffic junctions to monitor traffic and as such,the department is more experienced with this kind of work. A lot of study goes into such a project,like studying what angles the cameras should be installed at for maximum output,and the software that helps the cameras adjust to light during day and night. So far,we have a blueprint and are still working on other specifications.
Subscriber Only Stories
Details on where the camera feed will be monitored from are yet to be finalised; Barve said the five regions of the Mumbai police would probably have individual monitoring systems.
Singh said,The cameras would help not only for resolving traffic-related issues,but also during possible riots or terrorist attacks. For example,if such cameras had been installed during the 26/11 attacks,they would have been able to track the movements of the terrorists who were moving throughout the city. The technology planned is so superior that at the click of a button,cameras would zoom in and focus on any part of the city or any vehicle.
- The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards.
First published on: 10-09-2009 at 01:51:39 am
Subscribers Reading Now
Most Popular
Express Explained
The ancient Indian symbol of the swastika, its history and appropriation by Nazism
Premium
Express Opinion
Since numbers always favoured a JD(U)-RJD tie-up, why did Nitish bide his time?
Premium
Latest News
‘I won’t choose Partition if given a choice’: Darbari Lal
ISI-backed terror module busted ahead of I-Day
Sikh farmers who migrated twice suffered the most during Partition
ATS nabs ‘aide of JeM operative’ in Fatehpur
India, Pak at 75: With love and hurt, letters from both sides of the border, narrate lingering Partition pain
SGPC slams lighting up Minar-e-Fateh in Tricolour lights
Dalit boy’s death case: Mayawati seeks President’s rule in Rajasthan
Govt appoints 11 additional judges in Punjab and Haryana High Court
ADGP posts not sanctioned for police ranges
Warring comes down heavily on Jakhar for betraying party
Killed in anti-terror op, Army dog Axel gets gallantry award
TMC, Opposition spar over Anubrata’s arrest
