BENGALURU: Exactly six years after the Nirbhaya case, the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) had proposed the installation of avant-garde CCTV cameras to improve safety and security of women. Bengaluru was one among the eight cities, which was supposed to get 10,000 Artificial Technology (AI) - powered CCTV cameras. However, the Safe City proposal put forth earlier this year is yet to be implemented.
With 579 normal surveillance cameras for law and order and 170 cameras for traffic surveillance, CE found that the cameras functioning at the signals right now are only regular surveillance cameras, sans any sort of intelligence.
“The cameras towards Richmond Road, MG Road, Shantinagar, Brigade Road, Neelsandra, Xavier layout, etc can capture the image of a particular vehicle, number plate and rider. But it isn’t equipped to track suspicious activities as of now,” said Sahshidhar, a cop from Ashok Nagar police station.
While the proposal states that cameras with Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be installed, Deputy Commissioner of Police MN Anucheth said, “These cameras are AI-powered. They will be embedded with specific analytics, which will be able to capture a short video or an image of individuals passing through a particular junction several times a day. The camera will declare the individual as an anomaly and report the same to the control room.”
Delay in funds
Referring to the installation of cameras under the Nirbhaya funds, Anucheth said, “The task of mounting cameras is yet to start. Tenders will be called in soon. However, an action plan is in the process, with 4,000 locations for placement of cameras having already been selected.”
The total budget for project (for eight cities) was Rs 2,919.55 crore, of which 2,016.50 crore will be spent from the Nirbhaya funds.
Bengaluru received an approval of Rs 667 crore for installation of 10,000 analytics-embedded CCTV cameras.
“There has been a delay in the flow of funds from the state government. The action plan also had to wait as the Safe City proposal has to be undertaken on a 60:40 cost ratio, where the Centre will take care of the 60% cost and the rest by state,” said a senior official in the police department.