Technical glitch to delay CCTV surveillance project

While the state government has started holding safety drills in schools and colleges, its ambitious plan to bring the city under CCTV surveillance will take some time to take off.

While the state government has started holding safety drills in schools and colleges, its ambitious plan to bring the city under CCTV surveillance will take some time to take off.

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Sources said the security agencies have planned various measures to deal with terror activities. These include upgradation of the existing communication mechanism with the help of the Indian Institute of Technology and counter-terrorism training to the local police by the National Security Guards, the security agencies informed the state security council at the meet on Thursday. Formed in the wake of the 26/11 terror attacks, the council comprises experts and representatives from various fields that can help the state in formulating a policy for dealing with challenges towards security.

Following a fire at the Mantralaya and in a bid to be more prepared for terror threats in the coming days, the state government wants all schools and colleges to conduct periodic safety drills, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan told the council.

The disaster management drills were discussed in view of the fire and other incidents such as terror attacks.

The project to bring Mumbai under the CCTV network has faced a technical glitch and hence would be delayed. The state government had plans to set up 20,000 CCTVs across the city. The government had listed it as a priority measure especially after the terror attacks in July 2011. However, Chavan or the police officers refused to divulge into the details.

Meanwhile, the government also plans to formulate a policy for the terror coverage by the media. Chavan had agreed to do so after journalist Kumar Ketkar raised the issue of complaints regarding terror coverage and the problems faced by the media.

Opposition leader Vinod Tawde demanded that the VIP visits should not be allowed for at least 12 hours after a terror attack or other emergency incident. He also sought to know why the speedboats procured after the 26/11 attacks were not functioning well.

The police department explained to the committee the anti-terror measures and gave a presentation on a rampant circulation of fake currency in the state.

The currency racket is related to several terror groups that operate from within India and neighbouring countries.