L&T to complete installation of 6,000 CCTV cameras in Mumbai by 2016

Fadnavis says it will help in detection and deal with criminal activities

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in Maharashtra on Saturday awarded works contract to L&T for the installation of 6,000 CCTV cameras in Greater Mumbai. The project costs Rs 950 crore and L&T will have to complete the installation in 90 weeks by September 2016.  

The decision to install the cameras at over a 1,000 locations in the city was taken after the 2008 terror strikes and was based on recommendations of the Ram Pradhan Committee. However, the government since then had invited bids twice but could not award the contract due to technical issues. The state first had awarded the contract in April 2012 and the second tender was floated in April 2013. The government and L&T on Saturday signed works contract papers in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The chief minister has asked L&T to complete the CCTV camera installation within the stipulated time frame and extended the necessary government's cooperation. ''CCTV cameras will help maintain law and order situation in Greater Mumbai, especially to curb various offences. However, L&T will have to complete the project without any delays,'' he noted.

Fadnavis blamed the Congress-NCP government for delays and said the BJP-led government after assuming the power on October 31 gave top priority for the CCTV camera installation. It was recently cleared by the high power committee headed by the state chief minister Swadhin Khastriya.

State Home Secretary KP Bakshi informed that the main command control centre will be situated at the office of the city police commissioner and added that the centralised architecture will be adopted connecting cameras by mix of different technologies. He informed that the first phase will cover south Mumbai and will be completed by November 14, 2015, the second cover comprising north and east Mumbai by April 16,2016 and the third phase consisting of central and western Mumbai by September 17, 2016.

Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria also said CCTV camera will be quite helpful to track the cases. He informed that the footage record can be preserved for 30 days and it can be extended even up to 180 days.