NEW DELHI: Though Delhi police make claims of better policing, the protectors of law and order are not equipped enough to handle any untoward situation. Under such scenario, the only security measure citizens can rely on is CCTV cameras.
However, adding to the appalling security system in the city is the absence of CCTV cameras on the premises of units such as Special cell, Crime Branch, and police stations of south and New Delhi districts.
Interestingly, 60 per cent CCTVs are non-functional at the stations and units that have physical presence of the cameras. In its reply to an RTI filed by a resident, the north district police said the agency, which is responsible for the maintenance of the cameras, are not repairing the faulty ones.
Due to this, all CCTVs in their police stations are not working. In case of a custodial death, bribery allegations or any crime taking place inside the station, department will not have any CCTV footage to carry out the investigation.
Not only this, even the CCTVs installed by the Delhi police at more than 1,000 locations, mainly 27 markets of the city, are lying defunct.
The data accessed by The Sunday Standard stated that of the 1,054 CCTVs installed in the public places, only 306 are working. Feed of these cameras is monitored by a team of two dozen officials at Police Headquarters.
Reply to the RTI filed by a city resident, Zeeshan Haider, stated that Unit offices like special cell, vigilance department of Delhi Police, crime branch and airport police stations, South district stations, and the New Delhi district had no CCTVs. Similarly, in south district that covers city’s posh areas like Vasant Vihar, Hauz Khas and Safdurjung Enclave, cops have uninstalled all non-functional CCTVs and those which are in working condition, have no recording system. District Shahdara, in its reply, said there was no CCTV in any of its police stations and a proposal for the same was given to the Delhi Police.
The only place where CCTVs have been installed, and are in working condition is Police Headquarters.
In a recent crime review meeting, Delhi police commissioner, while asking the force to take anti-terror measures, directed that CCTVs installed by the Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL)—the firm that has been given the contract of installing and maintaining CCTVs—should be repaired on priority basis.