Automatic call snoop hub to be set up soon

Two central monitoring system centres would be set up in Delhi and Bengaluru

The government's central monitoring system (CMS) - for automated interception of services such as voice calls, data and internet activity - would be commissioned in a few months.

Two CMS centres, which would do away with manual interception and monitoring, would be set up in Delhi and Bengaluru. These would process interception requests by law enforcement agencies after the home ministry's authorisation.

Minister of communications and information technology, Ravi Shankar Prasad, is likely to announce a new telecom security policy this week detailing these. The project was approved by the government a few years ago with a funding of Rs 400 crore.

Sources said installation of interception store-and-forward servers at all 195 telecom service provider locations is complete. Installation of equipment at a centralised data centre in Delhi and the CMC-disaster recovery site in Bengaluru is also done and testing is on.

Of the 21 regional monitoring centres, 20 locations have been finalised, except in Jammu & Kashmir. Civil and electrical works have been completed in 14. Equipment has been procured for 14 regional monitoring centres and is being installed. After commissioning, the sites would be handed over to the department of telecommunications, which would deploy manpower for interception and monitoring.

The telcom security policy expected soon would also prescribe safety norms for mobile handsets, including radiation specification. The policy would deal with vulnerability in the telecom network as well as security and privacy of individuals. A framework for lawful interception of communications and a safe and secure network would also find a mention.