Hubballi: As part of a comprehensive plan to maintain law and order, the Hubballi-Dharwad Smart City Ltd (HDSCL) is going ahead with the installation of 160 pan tilt zoom (PTZ) cameras across the twin cities. Although Hubballi-Dharwad police have installed several cameras, particularly on roads and in areas that serve as entry and exit points to the twin cities, lack of proper maintenance has resulted in many of these devices turning dysfunctional.
Many closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed by corporators in their wards too have turned defunct further hampering effective enforcement of the law. HDSCL had initially planned to install smart poles across the twin cities, a project that was subsequently shelved owing to the lack of interest among private contractors to execute the project. Instead, the PTZ cameras, which were originally planned for installation on the smart poles will now be affixed at different locations with a single pole, said HDSCL sources.
HDSCL’s deputy general manager Channabasavaraj told STOI that the cameras would be installed in those spots where police deemed them most necessary. He added that a preliminary meeting had already been held between officials of HDSCL and the Hubballi-Dharwad police.
Channabasavaraj said that the HDSCL would float tenders inviting bids for the installation of the PTZ cameras. “The agency bagging the tender will have to maintain the cameras. This scheme is part of HDSCL’s local system integration project,” said Channabasavaraj, adding that the cameras would be connected with HDSCL’s integrated command control centre manned by both police and Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) personnel.
He said that another meeting was scheduled on Tuesday, to be attended by senior officials of HDMC, HDSCL and police, to discuss the implementation of the project.
A HDSCL source said that in the previous meetings with police officials, the latter had pointed to the need for more advanced cameras, a demand that the former agency was mulling over.
HDMC is also keen on utilising the services of these cameras to keep an eye on those disposing of garbage in undesignated spots. The civic agency wants these cameras installed at black spots where residents have been found dumping garbage indiscriminately.