NEW DELHI: Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday inaugurated the first phase of installation of CCTV cameras in his constituency, Patparganj.
Sisodia climbed a ladder and installed a CCTV camera at Supershine Chowk in the Vinod Nagar area.
He hit out at Delhi Police and Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal for stalling the project for the last four years.
“Even those whose politics is based on thuggery and goondaism were running scared. This is why the L-G refused to approve this project,” he said.
Sisodia told an assembled crowd, “No miscreant, chain snatcher, harasser will able to escape the surveillance of the CCTV cameras. The cameras will come as a big relief for our daughters, sisters, and mothers, who feel afraid to step out after dark for fear of harassment and assault. Delhi Police may not be with us, but rest assured, Delhi government’s cameras will keep an eye out for you in all corners of the city.”
Earlier this month, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced that the installation of CCTV cameras would commence this month. As per the scheme, 2,000 cameras will be installed in each Assembly constituency. The process will involve inputs from the local administration and the Resident Welfare Associations.
A major poll promise of the Aam Aadmi Party, this project had got stuck in a tussle between the L-G and the Delhi government, as they differed over control of the cameras. Kejriwal had blamed the Centre for stalling the project, and the issue even figured in the Lok Sabha election campaign.
The project to install the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras got the Delhi government’s approval in August last year, three years after the cabinet gave it in-principle approval. In September last year, the project got administrative approval and an expenditure of Rs 571.40 crore was sanctioned for it.
For several months, MLAs and RWAs have been conducting surveys to determine the spots that need surveillance. In all, 70,000 places have been identified across the capital for installation of the cameras.
According to the government, a major loophole in the CCTV network has been plugged.