The putting up of no less than 1,000 CCTV cameras in and around the city has been proposed by the police to tackle the threat of terrorism
The putting up of no less than 1,000 CCTV cameras in and around the city has been proposed by the police to tackle the threat of terrorism. In an in-depth proposal for security infrastructure sent to the state government by the city police, the need for a world-class CCTV network and prompt communication to fight any kind of terror attack has been highlighted.
The systematically prepared proposal was sent to Home Minister R R Patil, who recently visited Scotland Yard in London to observe the security arrangements in the UK. "We have sent the proposal in the first week of October," said Police Commissioner Meeran Chadda Borwankar. "Pune may get second priority, after Mumbai gets the first set of CCTV networking system."
In-depth survey
Earlier, an in-depth survey was conducted in the jurisdiction of the city police, including the industrial township of Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the exact requirement for the CCTV cameras was assessed. Disclosing more details, DCP (Special Branch) Makarand Ranade said they had been conducting the survey for all the 29 police stations. After having done the basic groundwork, the proposal was made on the basis of actual requirement of CCTV cameras assessed in the city and its vicinity. "We have covered all the important roads, procession roads, courts, other sensitive areas and important places in and around Pune," Ranade said.
Three-tier security
The police have proposed a three-tier CCTV network system in tandem with the wireless communication system. This can be used at the police station level, zonal-level DCP office, and finally at the Police Commissioner's Office control room. "The system requires a unique communication system to alert the police and others," said Ranade. "We are hoping that the proposal should get okayed and installation of the cameras should be completed before the next Ganapati Utsav."
The officer said the entire system would be useful for the police to monitor crowds and also study the recording taken by the CCTV cameras. The first CCTV pilot project was undertaken during the Ganapati festival, when the immersion procession was recorded by 16 world-class JVC cameras from Dagdushet Ganapati to Sambhaji Bridge. "We had already given the video recording to the police to study the crowd movements during the procession," said Bharat Junnarkar, a senior technician who took the initiative in installing these 16 CCTV cameras during Ganeshotsav.
'Still waiting for promised funds'
NOT a single paisa of the Rs 20 lakh promised for CCTVs by the Mayor and Dagdushet Ganapati has come in, said DCP Ranade. Both Mayor Mohansingh Rajpal and executive members of Dagdushet Ganapati had announced they would each give Rs 10 lakh for the purchase of CCTV cameras. Rajpal had said the money would be made available from the Mayor's Fund.
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