Delhi govt to install 50K cameras to strengthen safety in vulnerable areas

Delhi plans to install 50,000 CCTV cameras to enhance women's safety, costing ₹646.61 crore, with implementation expected by 2026-27.

New Delhi

The spots will be identified in consultation with the police and the ministry of women and child development, and is expected to cost ₹646.61 crore. (Representative photo/HT Archive)

The Delhi government is focusing on strengthening women’s safety by installing 50,000 CCTV cameras at dark spots, isolated stretches and vulnerable public areas, under an initiative announced in the budget for the 2025-26 fiscal, officials aware of the matter said on Thursday.

The spots will be identified in consultation with the police and the ministry of women and child development, and is expected to cost ₹646.61 crore. Its implementation is expected over a 12-month period, followed by long-term maintenance, officials said.

According to internal estimates, the network will rely heavily on modern digital infrastructure. “Along with high-resolution cameras, the project envisages 17,000 new poles, 50,000 protective cages for cameras, routers and power backup systems to ensure uninterrupted surveillance. In nearly 5,000 locations where grid power is unreliable or unavailable, the government plans to deploy solar panels,” a government official, asking not to be named, said.

The plan also includes specialised automatic number plate reader cameras to help law enforcement agencies, and a control and command centre at IP Estate for the Delhi Police to monitor live feeds, store footage and coordinate responses.

Connectivity will be a key component of the project, with high-bandwidth leased lines, mobile data links and secure virtual private networks to transmit video feeds. Cybersecurity measures, including firewalls and encrypted tunnels, are also part of the design, officials said.

While the total project cost is pegged at over ₹646 crore, expenditure on the cameras and related infrastructure will be spread over several years, with the bulk of the spending, estimated at ₹300 crore, expected in the 2026-27 fiscal. The phased expenditure is projected till the 2031-32 fiscal for the installation.

The government had allocated ₹100 crore under the budget head “Women Safety” in the 2025-26 budget. An allocation will be made every fiscal, under the budget.

The proposal also includes five years of comprehensive maintenance, with round-the-clock technical support and staffing at the command centre. Fire safety upgrades, air-conditioning and renovation work have also been factored in for the monitoring facility, the official cited above said.

The proposal is currently being processed for administrative approval, after which tenders are expected to be floated for execution.

Kalpana Vishwanath, head of Safetipin, a body that focuses on women’s safety, said, “As a woman, will the presence of a CCTV camera make me feel safe? CCTV cameras are not preventing crime. They act as an aid for law enforcement agencies after the crime is committed. CCTV cameras is one part of the puzzle. Holistic steps like visible police patrolling, lighting, are needed to strengthen women safety in Delhi.”