UP govt sanctions ₹25 crore for 250 CCTV cameras, high-tech equipment under ‘Safe City’ project for GB Nagar

Noida: The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday sanctioned ₹25 crore for 250 new CCTV cameras and other high-tech equipment for Gautam Budh Nagar under the ‘Safe City’ project.

The ‘Safe City’ project is a mission mode initiative of the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) for safety of women.

“UP CM Yogi Adityanath, resolved to strengthen law and order, has sanctioned ₹25 crore for 250 new cameras and other high-tech equipment for GB Nagar,” the CM’s office tweeted.

The chief minister is scheduled to visit Noida on January 25. Alok Singh, GB Nagar police commissioner, said that the ‘Safe City’ project is likely to be inaugurated by the CM during the visit.

However, Singh said, “We are yet to receive the letter from Lucknow. We will be able to share more details once we receive the official letter.”.

The police commissioner said that the cameras will soon be installed at different places, and other equipment like machines for artificial intelligence, face reading, and control room will also be set up in the district. The project will be implemented by the police commissionerate, along with the three development authorities in the district.

The MHA has approved a total budget of ₹180 crore for Noida and the project will be developed with the central and state governments contributing funds in 60:40 ratio.

Noida was selected for the project by the home ministry in August last year, and is the second city in the state after Lucknow to get funds under the project.

The ‘Safe City’ project aims to create a safe and secure environment for women in public places, to enable them to pursue all opportunities without the threat of gender-based violence and/or harassment. It also aims to prevent and curb all forms of crimes against women and children by providing safer urban infrastructure and efficient access to law enforcement agencies.

The framework and guidelines of the project issued by MHA says that the roads, streets and common places should be properly lit up; safety in public transport system; gender sensitization of police, setting up of women cell at all police stations, surveillance through CCTV cameras and technology based interventions.