Police plan to install 1,000 CCTV cameras to cover educational institutions, crime zones

KOLKATA: In a bid to bring a larger section of the city under technical surveillance, Kolkata Police is all set to add another 1,000 CCTV cameras to its arsenal. While the project comes under the Smart City project, part of the funding will come from the Nirbhaya Fund allocated for this purpose, senior Lalbazar officials announced on Friday.

The central government had set up the Nirbhaya Fund, a dedicated corpus for implementation of initiatives aimed at enhancing the safety and security of women in the country, in the wake of the December 2012 brutal gang-rape in Delhi. With this addition, the total number of CCTV cameras in Kolkata is likely to touch around 8,000, excluding the private ones that are already installed. Lalbazar cops — led by an additional CP and the joint CP — have been tasked with completing the installation process, including the choice of spots after taking inputs from local police.


The police said that besides the usual crime-prone spots and those frequented by women, the police want to bring the approaches to educational institutes under CCTV coverage. “The idea is to bring the maximum number of girls’ schools and colleges under CCTV coverage. There are sometimes claims of harassment outside these areas. Additionally, we can ascertain if anti-social activities are being organized close to these security zones. We are also trying to track down any suspicious movement. In addition, the CCTV cameras will help us study the traffic situation. In the long run, this will help strategize responses that can help in bringing down accidents and cut down on traffic snarls,” said an officer.

Police sources maintained that, ideally, they want CCTV cameras even inside the schools. “The most important idea is to create a deterrent that will stop criminals from carrying out the crimes,” said the officer.

The cops gave the example of Behala. Located in the southern fringes, CCTV surveillance was an alien concept here until it was included in the Kolkata Police jurisdiction. The local police have now set up 35 sets of CCTV cameras, besides those installed by the traffic police at most crossings. “We are approaching individuals and trading establishments so that they share their camera feed with us,” said an officer.

An officer said patrolling and raids have been strengthened with the addition of one more vehicle in each police station, and the local police officers have been instructed to advice the members of residents’ welfare associations to install CCTV cameras in their localities for better law-and-order management.