Power cuts will no longer pose a problem for Arakkonam police in keeping an eye on miscreants. The department is, in fact, going for the much greener alternative source - solar energy - to power its surveillance systems.
Semi-urban areas like Arakkonam has long been suffering with heavy power cuts extending to over five to six hours daily. Hence, solar powered wireless cameras, public address systems and lights have come up in nine strategic points to keep a check over the town.
“We have installed as many as 27 wireless cameras with public address systems and solar lights costing `12 lakh,” said S Seetharaman, deputy superintendent of Arakkonam police. “The step has been taken under public-private partnership to improve the public security.”
Each of the nine zones have been equipped with two static cameras and one zoom camera, with a range of 50 metres and 200 metres respectively. The cameras are night vision enabled and placed on high poles.
The cameras have been put up at Indira Gandhi Statue, Suvalpet (near Indian Bank and Vinayagar temple), State Bank of India on Railway Station Road, Palanipet, Southern Railway Gate, Arakkonam Old Bus Stand and Arakkonam New Bus Stand.
“A control room with monitors has been set up in the police department,” said the DSP. “Sitting in office, we can regulate the traffic by the public address system.”
The system has a digital data backup of 30 days.
“The solar panels fitted with the surveillance systems provide power backup of eight hours,” said the DSP. “This will keep the systems alive even during power cuts, not missing even few seconds of real time video.”
A local entrepreneur has supported the initiative under the PPP model and had assured carrying out repair works for three years, the DSP added. “We are also planning to rope in several merchants associations of town to participate in the maintenance work.”