‘CCTV for roads’ put on fast track

The AAP government has fast-tracked the process for installation of CCTV cameras to keep surveillance on 1,260-km-long roads stretched across the national capital. The government has already ordered setting up of a five-member committee to finalise preliminary estimates for accord of the administrative approval and executive expenditure of the mega-project.

At a high-level meeting, chaired by PWD minister Satyendra Jain, a decision has been taken that CCTV cameras should be installed on roads being looked after by the PWD. Among others present in the meeting were PWD engineer-in-chief Sarvagya Srivastava, chief project manager (CCTV, Wi-Fi, streetlights) Surendar Kumar, special secretary Vijay Kumar and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s adviser Gopal Mohan.

Of a total of 30,000 km of roads in Delhi, about 1,260 km are being looked after by the PWD. “Providing CCTV cameras on the PWD roads would be undertaken comprehensively along with digitisation programme of the government when CCTVs, Wi-Fi, streetlights will be dove-trailed with fibre network for smart features,” a senior officer told this newspaper. “Also e-collection of toll is under active consideration of the government which would entail typical CCTV cameras for specific functional use. Therefore, covering PWD roads by CCTV has to be comprehensive along with various stakeholders and can not be taken up in isolation.”

To fast-track the process, Mr Jain has directed the officers to set up a five-member committee headed by the chief project manager to ensure timely submission of accord of the administrative approval and executive expenditure of the project. The other members of the high-level committee will be representatives from the Urban development, information technology and home departments and superintending engineer or Executive engineer of the PWD.

Officials at the meeting were told to immediately identify vulnerable areas where dumping of garbage on roadside is a perpetual nuisance and high footfall areas like places of worship be immediately brought under the CCTV surve-illance. Necessity of CCTVs is predominantly felt in areas other than ro-ads which include colonies and markets. The minister told the officers that these areas are frequented by women and there was an urgent need to keep surveillance on them for their safety. The government has already earmarked Rs 200 crore in the current fiscal for the PWD to execute this project.