Bird droppings force Delhi Police to put spikes on CCTVs

Pigeons are a familiar sight across Lutyens’ Delhi, perched on sandstone buildings, traffic lights, lamp posts and scattered across footpaths

Pigeons are a familiar sight across Lutyens’ Delhi, perched on sandstone buildings, traffic lights, lamp posts and scattered across footpaths. But the birds have lately become an unlikely challenge for Delhi Police, whose officers said they have been interfering with one of the Capital’s most critical surveillance systems by obscuring CCTV camera lenses with droppings.

To tackle the problem, Delhi Police has begun installing “anti-bird spikes” around CCTV cameras across the high-security zone. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

To tackle the problem, Delhi Police has begun installing “anti-bird spikes” around CCTV cameras across the high-security zone. Officials said the spikes are meant to prevent pigeons from perching directly above cameras, where droppings have repeatedly blurred lenses, obstructed footage and affected surveillance.

The slim plastic spikes -- commonly seen on balconies, ledges and rooftops to deter birds -- are now visible on poles carrying CCTV cameras across central Delhi. Officials said the intervention is aimed at ensuring uninterrupted surveillance in an area that houses Parliament, Rashtrapati Bhavan, North and South Block, diplomatic missions and key government offices.

A police officer familiar with the development said bird droppings had become a recurring maintenance problem. “The spikes were installed recently because droppings were obstructing the camera view. These cameras are used round the clock, and even a partially blocked lens can affect monitoring,” the officer said, adding that all new Delhi Police CCTV cameras are now being fitted with the deterrent.

“A lens obscured by bird droppings, however small the obstruction may seem, can reduce image quality enough to affect those efforts. More importantly, there is significant VIP movement in the area for which constant and uninterrupted surveillance is essential.”

Another official said clear footage from these cameras is particularly important because they form part of the network used by Delhi Police for facial recognition system (FRS) analysis during investigations.

The growing use of facial recognition technology by law enforcement agencies has, however, drawn criticism from digital rights and privacy advocates worldwide, who have warned that large-scale deployment in public spaces could enable mass surveillance, misuse of personal data and profiling.

Officials said the surveillance network is maintained by the Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) and Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL).

According to officials, pigeons are naturally drawn to the elevated brackets and poles on which cameras are mounted. Over time, droppings accumulate on camera casings. “During the monsoon, the problem often worsens because rainwater spreads the droppings across the transparent covers protecting the lenses,” an official said.

Rather than relying solely on cleaning, police opted for a preventive solution. The anti-bird spikes. Similar deterrents have long been used on bridges, commercial buildings and flyovers to discourage birds from roosting.

Police officials clarified that the installation of spikes is part of routine maintenance rather than a wider surveillance upgrade. Outdoor cameras are regularly inspected for dust, vegetation, weather-related damage and physical wear, with bird activity now emerging as another recurring maintenance challenge.

The exact number of cameras fitted with anti-bird spikes has not been disclosed. However, officials confirmed that the exercise has been carried out at multiple locations where recurring bird activity was found to interfere with surveillance.

While CCTV cameras across Lutyens’ Delhi are installed by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), Delhi Police and Delhi Traffic Police, officials said the anti-bird spikes have been installed only on cameras maintained by Delhi Police.