Mumbai’s litterbugs, beware! AI camera to call you out with a warning

MUMBAI: Dare to dump garbage on the roadside and you could soon find yourself being called out in public, quite literally

MUMBAI: Dare to dump garbage on the roadside and you could soon find yourself being called out in public, quite literally. An AI-powered camera installed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in Mahim detects movement near a garbage-dumping spot and issues an audio warning, cautioning offenders that they could be fined for littering.

Mumbai’s litterbugs, beware! AI camera to call you out with a warning

The civic body has launched the pilot project on Dr R R Marg, near Gajanan Vatika, in a bid to stop indiscriminate garbage dumping. The initiative, which has drawn appreciation from citizens on social media, uses surveillance and public warnings to discourage people from turning vulnerable spots into dumping grounds.

Installed by the BMC’s G North ward, which covers Dadar and Mahim, the camera detects movement when someone approaches the identified spot to dump waste. A loudspeaker then warns the person against littering and informs them that the area is under CCTV surveillance.

“We installed the camera late last night as a pilot. We have identified 23 garbage-vulnerable points in the ward where people dump waste indiscriminately,” said Yogesh Desai, assistant commissioner of the G North ward.

The system is designed to issue an immediate audio warning when movement is detected near the identified spots, deterring people from dumping waste. The CCTV surveillance will remain in place until the site is cleared, Desai said.

The BMC hopes the intervention will prevent garbage from piling up again after a spot has been cleaned, while encouraging citizens to change their habits and take greater responsibility for public cleanliness.

The civic body has also appealed to residents not to dump garbage on roads, in open spaces or at other public places, and urged them to cooperate with its efforts to keep the city clean.