: The extensive use of high end CCTV surveillance network at pushkar ghats have become a major deterrent for criminal gangs from preying upon the pilgrims during the ongoing Krishna Pushkarams.
The Guntur Urban Police have installed 85 CCTV cameras at 44 vantage locations at Undavalli, Tadepalli and Mangalagiri along the link roads connecting to pushkar ghats, railway stations, bus stations, major traffic junctions, pushkar ghats at Seethanagaram and Mahanadu Road with technical support from smart professional surveillance system. The PTZ cameras with high-end resolution have been used in a big way to zoom in images.
With live images from the CCTV cameras beamed to monitors at the Master Control Room besides the Tadepalli police station, police personnel have been monitoring movement of vehicles and pilgrims real time. Trained police personnel have been deputed to collect information on flow of pilgrims, traffic rush and any incidents near the ghats.
Dynamic approach
“The extensive use of CCTV surveillance has helped us to monitor peak hour traffic, traffic diversions, bottlenecks, entry and exit points to the ghats. We have been adopting a dynamic and flexible approach in dealing with the pilgrim rush.
For instance, when we had noticed that pilgrim rush was not much on day one of pushkarams, we decided to ease traffic restrictions and run free bus services from Undavalli to Seethanagaram ghat, a move which brought more number of pilgrims to the ghats,’’ Superintendent of Police, Guntur Urban, Sarvashresth Tripathi told The Hindu on Friday.
With the riverfront mandals in the capital region, the surveillance network would be further strengthened.
Considering the past profile of Seethanagaram, a colony inhabited by reformed criminal tribes, it has been remarkable that not even a single incident of crime and theft has been reported for the last seven days.
The Guntur Urban Police had begun preparatory work much ahead of the start of the pushkarams.
“We have begun collecting information on locals, newcomers in the areas close to the ghats and prepared a data bank. This has become useful in prevention of crime,’’ said Mr. Tripathi.
