CCTV cameras play an important role in maintaining the law and order in different areas in a city and are an essential technology in which the government inadvertently invests. However, if a large part of these cameras is not functioning, then it can compromise security arrangements severely and highlight the poor maintenance by the civic body.
Ahmedabad is one example where the administrative and civic organizations have failed to get the CCTV cameras in up and running. It is believed that nearly 28% of the cameras in the city are currently non-functioning. The cameras were installed under the joint project, Safe and Secure Ahmedabad (SASA) between Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and traffic police with an investment of Rs314 crores.
However, of the 6,200 CCTVs installed, 855 cameras are yet to be connected to the Integrated Control and Command Centre (ICCC) that monitors and stores the footage on its servers. This has become a major issue as most of these cameras are installed on main roads, including SP Ring Road, Ashram Road, the road from Chandkheda to Sabarmati Power House, and 132 feet ring road. In many cases, when a fatal road accident occurs and the city police ask for CCTV footage, the AMC is unable to provide it due to inactive cameras.
