BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Police is targeting to complete installation of CCTV cameras in all territorial police stations of the State by the end of 2016-17.
The State Government, which had started the surveillance programme two years back, has already completed half the job.
Of the 609 police stations of the State, as many as 525 are territorial police stations. By end of 2014-15, CCTV cameras were installed in 276 territorial police stations.
“The Supreme Court’s order will bring in more transparency as to how police stations operate,” Director General of Police Sanjiv Marik said after the apex court directed on Friday to install CCTV cameras at all prisons as well as hazats of police stations of the State.
Odisha Police has been carrying out the surveillance programme under Modernisation of Police Fund from the State Budget.
In the current financial year, the State Police plans to install CCTVs at 140 more police stations and work is already underway, IG (Modernisation) SK Nath said.
At present, each police station is provided with four to six CCTV cameras which are installed on the premises, reception areas as well as hazats. The number, however, varies to eight CCTV cameras and is scalable up to 16 where the need is strong. Around `1.5 lakh to `1.8 lakh is spent on installation of CCTV cameras and monitors in each police station.