CCTV project ‘out of focus’ for police, civic bodies

As per information provided by Pune Police, of the four zones in the city, CCTV installation for only Zone 1 has been completed. There are several important establishments, public buildings, and busy roads in Zone 2, 3 and 4. Unavailability of funds and some other factors have delayed the project which has overshot the deadline by almost a year.

Newsline had last week carried findings of the Principal Accountant General about the CCTV project. Criticising the delay in the project, the inspection report had blamed the eight-member committee headed by the Pune Police Commissioner that had been entrusted with the responsibility of getting the CCTV cameras installed. At the time of submission of the inspection report, only 63 CCTV cameras were functional.

As per the Rs 224.31 crore project approved by the State Home Ministry, 1,285 cameras were to be installed at 444 locations in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. The number of cameras allotted were 297 for Zone 1, 275 for Zone 2, 365 for Zone 3, 270 for Zone 4 for 78 for the Traffic Division.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Tushar Doshi, installation of cameras in Zone 1 has been completed and work in Zone 3 will begin soon.

“As of now 290 CCTV cameras have been installed. Out these 267 provide live feed to the control room at Pune Police Commissioner’s office. These cameras have been installed at 117 locations under the jurisdiction of Deccan, Vishrambaug, Kothrud, Faraskhana and Warje Police Stations. The cameras cover several important and crowded locations J M Road, Balgandharva Auditorium, Laxmibai Chowk, Garware Chowk. Karve Road, and F C Road. Of the cameras, 212 are fixed cameras and 55 Pan-Tilt-Zoom cameras. Installation of cameras in Zone 3 will start soon,” said Doshi.

The project, when cleared by the State Home Minister on November 2013 had targeted April 2014 for completion.

“In Zone 2, 3 and 4 there are important and sensitive places such as M G Road, Chhabad House, popular areas in upmarket Koregaon Park, defence installations in Kharki and Pune Cantonment Areas. Because of slow pace of the project, these places are facing a security risk.

We have seen that miscreants choose sites that do not have CCTV cameras so that police find it difficult to nab them.” said Vihar Durve, an activist following up the issue with several agencies.

Cameras that helped in crime-busting

CCTV cameras have played a role in identifying suspects in some of the crimes including terror attacks.

Most of these CCTVs were installed by private establishments. IM operative Yasin Bhatkal’s image was captured by CCTV camera at German Bakery.

Yasin allegedly planted the bomb on February 13, 2010. Agencies probing the bomb blast at a parking space reserved for Faraskhana and Vishrambaug police stations near Dagdusheth temple on July 10, 2014 relied on footage from private CCTV cameras in the vicinity to zero-in on suspects.

Police said the suspects were alleged SIMI operatives who fled from Khandwa jail in Madhya Pradesh. Sources from teams investigating the blast said a proper CCTV cover will help in curbing crimes and busting criminals.

Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Trust installed 11 CCTV cameras on its own covering important spots around the temple, including the site where the bomb had gone off on July 10.

(inputs from Chandan Haygunde)