24 PTZ cameras installed in city’s prime locations

The 64 high resolution Pan Tilt Zoom (PTZ) cameras, which the Delhi government had approved of during the 2010 Commonwealth Games, have finally been installed at prime locations in the city after four years. 

Owing to bureaucratic hurdles, the project had been delayed and the government has managed to install only 28, out of the approved 64, cameras. Now, it remains to be seen whose purpose it will actually serve! 

‘The information and Technology department has expedited matters due to imposition of President’s rule in Delhi. According to department’s sources, till now only 28 such high resolution cameras have been installed at prime locations across the city,’ claimed one of the senior officers.

Till now, 28 PTZ cameras have been installed at different places in Delhi such as fire station building at Rohini, DDA building at Vasant Kunj, MCD’s Civic Center building, NDMC building, Directorate of Health Services building, Police Headquarters at ITO, Deputy Commissioner’s Office in Rohini, NAMBARD Tower Rajendra Place, Hotel Hilton, Hotel Surya and Hotel Eros, Scope Tower at Laxmi Nagar etc...

‘The high resolution PTZ cameras can capture images within radius of five kilometers in clear weather and more than three kilometer in foggy conditions,’ said an IT expert.

The PTZ is different from CCTV and it is used in outdoor peripheral, while CCTV is widely used as a powerful surveillance tool in public places like commercial banks, casinos, supermarkets, mega malls, jewellery stores and warehouses etc... But these cameras would provide aerial and videography from different angles. 

It is used by security agencies for purpose of integrated geo-spatial information system for surveillance and easy access by land use database utility services and infrastructure departments.

According to an IT official, this proposal was the part of a project to install 64 PTZ cameras in all important locations across the city to check unauthorised construction. 

The total estimated budget is around Rs 120 crore and is being implemented with the help of Survey of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Science and Technology and National Mapping Agency.

The main control room has been set up at Vikas Bhavan-2, which keeps records and data of all the cameras.