CHENNAI: Twenty-nine government and public buildings in Greater Chennai limits, are yet to install CCTV cameras where public movement is high, despite the direction of the Chennai Police Commissioner, according to official sources. It is learnt that 23 of these buildings lie in Madhavaram and six in Anna Nagar limits.
Sources told Express that despite several pleas by the Chennai Police Commissioner, some of the government buildings have been non-compliant in installing CCTV cameras. With nearly 50,000 CCTV cameras functioning in the city, the police is planning to increase the number to one lakh.When Express contacted a top police official, he said the police cannot force government buildings to comply to installing CCTV cameras. The issue has been taken up with the Chief Secretary, he said.
Interestingly, the Chief Secretary in a recent meeting, had directed the secretaries of the departments, to take steps to make all the government buildings CCTV compliant. The government has sought an action taken report from the departments that have not complied. The buildings which are not CCTV compliant include Government Corporation Primary School in Madhavaram, Government Elementary School Arumbakkam, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board office in Arumbakkam, Sales Tax office in Poonamallee High Road in Maduravoyal, Jay Gopal Garodia Government Higher Secondary School in Madhavaram, CMDA office in Madhavaram, the new bus stand and Leather Estate in Madhavaram.
In areas other than Greater Chennai Police limits, district collectors have been asked to identify and arrange for installation of CCTV in all government and public buildings. The police had initially set September as the deadline to make the entire city equipped with CCTV cameras. However, with the government departments not complying, the police is finding it difficult to meet the deadline, sources said.