City Surveillance Safety Under Scrutiny: 7,500 CCTV Cameras Offline in Capital

A safety audit revealed that over 7,500 CCTV cameras in the capital are offline due to various issues, including technical faults, theft, and power cuts. The Delhi government plans to address this by installing 50,000 new cameras and streamlining maintenance with a consolidated tender through Bharat Electronic Limited.

More than 7,500 CCTV cameras throughout the capital have been found offline, according to the Public Works Department's (PWD) safety audit conducted last year. This revelation has raised significant concerns about city surveillance and safety infrastructure.

Since the launch of the CCTV project in 2020, aimed at enhancing the city's security, approximately 2.8 lakh cameras have been installed. However, a recent report presented to the Delhi Assembly highlighted that factors such as power cuts, technical faults, theft, and the relocation or dismantling of cameras have left 7,535 offline.

To bolster the city's surveillance network and address existing issues, the Delhi government plans to deploy an additional 50,000 cameras, focusing on improved maintenance strategies. The responsibility for maintaining these cameras is being handed to Bharat Electronic Limited, with future plans for a consolidated maintenance tender to streamline operations.

(With inputs from agencies.)