The fourth phase of installation of surveillance cameras in the city will take more time, owing to various reasons - from meter shortage of KSEB to maintenance work on roads.
The fourth phase of installation of cameras which was planned to take place in October third week will now take a couple of weeks more to materialise. The Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation (Keltron), looking into the design and development side of the cameras, says that meter shortage of KSEB has hit its plans. “The KSEB has asked for more time to give connection to the cameras citing the shortage of meters. The installation will take place as soon as the connection is get granted,” said Gopakumar S P, project manager, Keltron.
However, City Police Commissioner T J Jose said that the delay could be attributed to more reasons like inability to lay cables owing to the maintenance works on roads. “In some of the spots where the cameras have to be installed, road works were in progress. We expect to complete the installation in a couple of weeks,” he said.
In the fourth phase, eight spots in the city will be equipped with surveillance cameras. Venapalavattom Bypass, Venpalavattom Junction, Veli railway station junction, KIMS Hospital Junction, Panavila, Spencer Junction, Statue Junction (in front of the Statue) and Aristo Junction are the areas that will have cameras in the fourth phase.
It is by spending an amount of Rs 4.5 crore that the cameras are being installed. The police and Keltron have been trying to make it happen by the end of December. “All possible steps have been taken for this,” said Jose.
Once the fourth phase is completed, the number of cameras installed in various parts of the city will reach 231, as 223 cameras have already been installed in the first three phases.
In the fifth phase, cameras will be installed in 36 more spots. With this, the police, with technical support from Keltron, expect to cover almost all major places in the city under the surveillance of cameras. The work on the fifth phase will be started within three or four months, said Gopakumar.