Safer Delhi: Govt begins work on installing 1.5 lakh CCTVs

NEW DELHI: After a protracted battle with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, the Delhi government on Friday initiated work for installing nearly 1.5 lakh CCTV cameras all over the Capital, a government source said, adding that the work should be completed within six months.

The government will complete installation of nearly 300 CCTV cameras this year, as directed by the Urban Development Department. "These cameras will have 4-megapixel image quality with high definition zooming system which will help us to monitor crimes better," said the official.

The Aam Aadmi Party-led government will also set up a monitoring centre, where 24x7 surveillance will take place. "The project budget is nearly Rs 571.40 crore, which includes Rs 320.96 crore for installation and Rs 250.44 crore for maintenance for five years," the official added.

Bharat Electronics Limited has received the tender for installation and maintenance of these cameras. Earlier, a conflict had ensued when LG Baijal set up a panel to formulate standard operating procedures (SOP) for these cameras installation. However, the Delhi government made its SOP and submitted it to a committee formed by Baijal.

When the LG constituted the panel, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his cabinet colleagues and other AAP MLAs had marched to the LG's office, demanding that the panel be dissolved. In July, Kejriwal tore the draft report of the committee, which, he said, talked of taking permission from the police before installing the CCTV cameras.

In the run-up to the Delhi assembly elections in 2015, the AAP had vowed to install CCTV cameras across the city to ensure the safety of women and children.