Entire city to be under CCTV surveillance by October 2

Come October 2 and the entire Mumbai will be under close-circuit television (CCTV) camera surveillance. Top sources in the home department have confirmed that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is set to launch Phase II and III of the project, which is expected to meet its September 30 deadline.

"Though our project will be completed, as per the schedule, by September end, we have picked October 2 because it is Gandhi Jayanti," said a senior home department official.

Fadnavis had launched the much-awaited and talked about CCTV project in November, 2015. This included installation of 1381 cameras at key points in south Mumbai, which would be functional round the clock.

At the launch, Fadnavis had emphasised on the need for digital intervention to help increase efficiency and transparency in policing in Maharashtra. He had also promised to complete the Mumbai city surveillance project before the 26/11 terror attacks anniversary in 2016.

"By the end of the project, we would have an integrated system, wherein we would be equipped in face detection, number plate identification, data analysis system and much more through this network," he had said.

The Rs 1000 crore CCTV project involves installation of over 6000 cameras in Mumbai to step up surveillance at crucial places in the city. While Phase I covered south Mumbai, Phase II will cover north and east Mumbai, and Phase III will cover the entire central and western parts of the city.

Though initiated by the BJP government, the project was first proposed during the earlier Congress-NCP government after the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai.