BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to enhance the safety and security of citizens in the state capital which is reeling under a serious law and order problem, police stations in the city will soon have access to CCTV camera feed of Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL).
Besides, the local police stations will also be able to access the feed of CCTV cameras installed under the Bhubaneswar Urban Police District (UPD).
Sources said, as of now, 547 CCTV cameras of BSCL have been integrated with the police control room at Commissionerate Police headquarters here. Around 120 cameras installed by Bhubaneswar UPD in various places of the city are also being monitored through the control room. The system, which is part of the modern control room project developed at a cost of around `19 crore, will be equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) technology and consist of advanced forensic tools, video enhancement features and others.
At least 270 private and community CCTV cameras have also been integrated with the Cuttack UPD control room, and officers are reaching out to private establishments and gated communities in the capital, too, to implement the system here. There are roughly 10,000 CCTV cameras installed by private companies/offices/houses and gated communities. Apart from integrating private security cameras, police are also planning to enhance the storage capacity, said sources.
“Once the system equipped with AI technology is implemented, the police control room will be able to track the live movement of suspects by entering specific information in the system like dress colour, motorcycle makes and others,” said sources. Bhubaneswar DCP Prateek Singh told The New Indian Express, that the feed of BSCL cameras and police cameras will help police stations keep a close vigil on anti-social elements and also assist in speedy investigation and detection of crimes. Plans are afoot to implement other measures to enhance the safety and security of citizens, he said.
In the wake of recent thefts from flats in various areas of the capital, the police have planned to carry out a security audit of apartments in the city. In the first phase, the audit will be carried out at apartments in the city. If the deployment of security guards or CCTV cameras in apartments is not enough then the society members concerned will be asked to enhance the security, said Singh.
Apartments will also be advised if CCTV cameras are not installed at strategic locations. There are around 542 apartments in the capital with most within Mancheswar (56) followed by Infocity (55), Pahala and Laxmisagar (49) police limits. In the second phase, a security audit will be carried out at gated communities and private houses in the city.