Mumbai university’s Kalina campus yet to get 300 CCTV cameras

The plan to install 300 CCTV cameras within the Kalina campus of the University of Mumbai (MU) is yet to see the light of day, seven months after MU set up a committee

The plan to install 300 CCTV cameras within the Kalina campus of the University of Mumbai (MU) is yet to see the light of day, seven months after MU set up a committee to do so. According to officials, the plan has hit a roadblock in the finance department of the university.

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Despite repeated attempts, Madhvi Ingole, MU’s finance and accounts officer, was unavailable for a comment. However, an MU official, on the condition of anonymity, said, “As a priority, department heads have been instructed to install cameras. Many departments have installed cameras at the entry and exit points of their premises. The university is analysing the budget proposed by the committee. A decision is likely soon.”

The university had decided to install CCTV cameras across its 243-acre campus in Kalina that houses over 50 departments and labs after a student had complained of molestation on the campus in August last year.

A committee was set up seven months ago to expedite the process to install CCTV cameras. Departments were instructed to install CCTV cameras in their premises. “Barring a handful of departments, there are no CCTV cameras set up in the entire campus. There is an unreasonable delay from the university’s end in passing the budget for the project,” said Supriya Karande, an MU senate member and the head of the committee.

According to Karande, a budget of ₹4 lakh for installing the CCTV cameras was submitted to the university’s finance and accounts department early last week. “The file is stuck with the department and there is no clarity on whether the budget will be passed,” said Karande.

The lack of CCTV cameras has been a major concern for MU, particularly the exam department, which has been riddled with paper leaks. Of the two existing buildings of the Exam House in the Kalina campus, only one has 20 CCTV cameras. The other has none. No new cameras have been installed as the varsity plans to move the exam department to a new building that will have CCTV cameras.