Kolkata: With the rise in crime, Kolkata police is launching an ambitious plan to monitor every thoroughfare 24X7.
At an interaction with the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries Ladies Organisation, police officials said that monitoring every road was essential to ensure a blanket cover and the security of women travelling in the city.
“The plan is to monitor every major road of the city with cameras equipped with night vision every 200 metres so that it can be monitored even at night. It will ensure that every incident is recorded,” said Joyeeta Bose, Deputy Commissioner of Police.
The police already have 1,200 cameras to monitor the city and hope to double the number within a year. “Having a camera not only gives live pictures to the control room but also acts as a deterrent to crime. In major traffic crossing, the presence of cameras has ensured that the number of traffic violations has decreased significantly,” said V. Solomon Nesakumar, deputy commissioner in charge of traffic.
As a part of its modernisation plans, the city police is in the process of securing 50 drones and 500 cameras within a few months. “These cameras will be able to read number plates of the cars even at night,” said a senior official. Others will be equipped with speed guns to check those violating the maximum speed.
“Motorbikes and other expensive cars racing down empty streets have become a major menace and this will help in curbing them,” the officer added. Last year, a soldier died while rehearsing for the Republic Day parade on Red Road when a racing Audi broke down the police barricade and ran over him.
In many cases police have found that presence of CCTV has not only helped in cracking the case, but also ensured speedy justice as it works as major evidence in a court of law.
