Inadequate CCTVs in Capital, cops grope in dark

Even as the crime rate is escalating in the city with each passing day, poor surveillance measures have allowed criminals a free run in the State Capital.
CCTV Camera (Photo | EPS)
CCTV Camera (Photo | EPS)

BHUBANESWAR: Bhubaneswar Police is groping in dark over the sensational robbery and assault on two women joggers who were held hostage at knife-point by three criminals near Raghunathpur bridge as very little camera surveillance support is available. Though police examined CCTV footage at Magnetic Square, the bike-borne miscreants were not spotted since they possibly took another route to escape. “CCTV footage at the private establishments was examined but the recordings are not clear. Efforts are on to nab the anti-socials involved in the robbery,” said Nandankanan police sources.

Even as the crime rate is escalating in the city with each passing day, poor surveillance measures have allowed criminals a free run in the State Capital. Sources said, neither Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) nor Commissionerate Police has installed CCTV cameras in Raghunathpur and its nearby areas which posed a major challenge to identify the criminals.

Police said at least 95 to 100 cameras are operational in various locations of the city. The feed is collected from the CCTV control room set up at Police Seva Bhavan here. “About 22 cameras were damaged during cyclone Fani and will soon be replaced,” said a police officer.  Police, however, heavily depend on CCTV cameras installed by BSCL in various areas.

A BSCL official said over 300 cameras are operational across the city. “The plan is to make 680 cameras operational and feed will be available at Bhubaneswar Operations Centre. All the cameras have been installed and the process of setting up the communication system is on. The remaining cameras are expected to go live by the third week of March,” said a BSCL official.

The City though needs around 5,000 CCTV cameras. Though CCTV cameras are installed at all major junctions of the city but surveillance is missing in isolated regions, crime prone areas, near parks, on the National Highway, among others.  “We had also faced a challenge to crack the ATM theft incident on Patia Railway Station Road in October last year as there was no CCTV camera in the nearby areas,” he added. 

To curb the incidents of snatching, the city police had earlier requested different organisations to install high quality CCTV cameras on their property. Meanwhile, the State government has planned to install 138 automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras at NH-16 on the stretch between Rameswar in Khurda and Panikoili in Jajpur district at an estimated cost of Rs 20 crore. 

Brahmananda Mishra elected as UCCI chief
Bhubaneswar: Industrialist Brahmananda Mishra has been elected as the new president of Utkal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UCCI) Ltd. Mishra has previously served as chairman of the Steel Executive Federation of India for nine years and has vast experience in corporate governance. Mishra said he will promote trade, commerce and services in Odisha with a view to strengthen and expand economic activities in the State. Other office bearers have also been elected for 2020-21 year and they are Ashok Shanda (VP-commerce), Dipak S Rathor (VP-general), Akshay Khandelwal (honorary joint secretary) and Narayan (honorary joint treasurer). 

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