AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Police is expanding CCTV coverage across the state with greater public participation, with State Police Chief Gyanendrasingh Malik directing police units to strengthen surveillance around residential, commercial and public spaces.
The move follows an Ahmedabad experiment in which more than 24,000 CCTV cameras were installed in two years with voluntary support from citizens, traders and various associations. The network helped police prevent and detect crime, prompting the department to replicate the model across Gujarat.
More than 3.88 lakh private CCTV cameras are currently operational across the state. However, police officials said many cameras cover only premises, leaving gaps around public roads, parking areas and key entry and exit points of housing societies.
To address these gaps, DGP Malik has instructed all City Police Commissioners and District Police Chiefs to engage with residents, housing societies and trade associations and encourage them to voluntarily expand CCTV coverage. The aim is to create a connected surveillance network to help police track suspects, reconstruct crime movements and respond faster.
Police have urged residents and commercial establishments to ensure cameras cover external roads, parking areas and entry-exit points instead of only indoor spaces. Officials have also recommended night-vision cameras, high-resolution systems of 4 megapixels or above and adequate video-storage backup to ensure usable footage around the clock.
The initiative is being coordinated at the state level by the Inspector General of Police (Law and Order), who has been appointed nodal officer for the public-awareness campaign.
Police officials said a wider CCTV network can strengthen crime prevention and investigation and urged citizens to voluntarily join the initiative.