Delhi Police plans to buy 10,000 CCTV cameras using ₹1000 cr Nirbhaya fund to safeguard city

The surveillance cameras, police said, will help upgrade security in the city especially for women. In the last eight years, police have bought only 4,074 cameras. Last year, they could manage to install only 85 cameras.

The Delhi Police have written to the ministry of home affairs for a proposal to buy 10,000 CCTV cameras for electronic surveillance across the city. The cameras, police said could be bought from the ₹1,000 crore Nibhaya fund, sanctioned by the finance ministry for the safety of women in each state.

If the proposal of additional 10,000 cameras is sanctioned, they will be installed at the dark stretches identified by the police. (HT File)

In the last eight years, police have bought only 4,074 cameras. Last year, they could manage to install only 85 cameras. Also, most of the cameras installed in markets and roads are lying defunct. In a meeting at the police headquarters last month, senior police officers discussed that more than 20% of these cameras across the city were not functioning because of the digging of roads.

Though over the last two years, around 1.82 lakh CCTV cameras have been installed in housing societies and markets by residents and shopkeepers in a tie-up with the local police, there are still many pockets that are yet to come under CCTV surveillance.

“We have cameras in main markets, courts, railway stations and other important landmarks. Besides that, 1.82 lakh cameras in housing colonies which are connected with server of police stations are owned by private individuals. There could be around 5-8 lakh cameras on Delhi streets but that is not enough,” said a senior police officer.