PWD to add 8K CCTV cameras in NDMC residential areas in Delhi

New Delhi

Authorities are in the process of installing over 8,000 CCTV cameras in key residential areas of Lodhi Colony, Jor Bagh, Laxmi Bai Nagar, Sarojini Nagar and Kali Bari Marg utilising MLA local area development (MLA-Lad) funds over the next two months, officials of the Public Works Department (PWD) said on Wednesday.

Each area will have 900-1,100 cameras and bids have been called for the project, which will be executed as 12 separate ones, locality-wise, officials said.

A senior PWD official, not wishing to be named, said they will add bullet surveillance cameras, security barricades and electrically operated gate systems to help improve the security of these areas. “Each of these projects costs around ₹95-98 lakh and bids have been invited for 12 such projects. Of these 12 projects, eight pertain to installation of around 1,000 cameras while remaining four deal with integrated system of security barricades with CCTV cameras. Once executing contractor is finalised, a 30-day period will be provided for installation and operationalisation in these areas,” the official said.

“For instance, in the case of Lodhi Colony, security barricades will be added at locations decided with residents and RWAs in blocks 11, 13, 14, 16 and 17. Electrically-operated security barricades will be added at nine locations within the colony and moveable steel barricades at another 14 sites. These gates will work in conjunction with 40 cameras located near the entry points. The project will also include providing technical assistance for operating these electrical swing gates for one year. Similar system would be in place in residential areas of Kali Bari Marg, DIZ Marg and Laxmi Bai Nagar,” the official said.

The New Delhi municipal area is overseen by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), but an NDMC official said that in the past, former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit used her MLA-Lad funds through PWD to add facilities, such as open gyms, in the residential areas.

“Precedents of allowing PWD to work on public welfare project exists,” an NDMC official said.

NDMC officials said that the civic body already uses its integrated command and control centre, which receives live video streams from cameras and smart poles located across key rotaries and avenue roads of New Delhi.

However, residents and traders welcomed the move.

Ashok Randhawa, who heads the Sarojini Nagar mini market association said that most of the cameras installed by the police cover only the main roads of Sarojini Nagar. “There are around 90 cameras in the market which are operated with the help of market associations along with feeds in local police station. It leaves many areas vulnerable. If over 1,000 cameras are added and residential spaces in Pillanji and our areas are covered, it will certainly add to security,” he said.

Mukesh Kumar Sinha, of the Lodhi Colony general RWAs, said that the area is faced with a lot of thoroughfare traffic as it is an open place with no boundary wall. “Half of our area falls under NDMC and half under MCD. We also have two MLAs. We had met the chief minister to help us improve the security of the area. We already have quite significant number of cameras, but boom barriers and barricades will be able to tackle the problem to a large extent,” he said.