Cyberabad secure under glare of 2,058 CCTVs

Madhapur : A total of 2,058 Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras were unveiled by Telangana DGP Dr M Mahendar Reddy at Cyberabad Police Commissionerate on Monday.

It is the highest ever one-time launch of CCTV cameras in Cyberabad Police Commissionerate limits covering 18 police stations and 111 communities. Of these 2,058 cameras, 1,145 are installed in Madhapur zone, 405 in Balanagar zone and 508 in Shamshabad zone. The cost of the project was put at Rs 11,32,90,000.

Reddy also inaugurated 629 community CCTV cameras of Madhapur Division and 1,429 of Madhapur, Balanagar and Shamshabad zones. He also inaugurated three camera-mounted vehicles and distributed CCTV maintenance kit to 19 technical persons.

Hyderabad with six lakh CCTV cameras has the second-highest CCTV surveillance in the world after Chennai. Cyberabad now has 1,26,760 CCTV cameras including 18,487 community CCTV cameras and 1,08,273 NenuSaitham CCTV cameras.

The DGP felicitated 20 donors of community CCTV cameras of three zones with mementos and certificates. Appreciation certificates were also given away to the best CCTV camera coordinators.

According to VC Sajjanar, Commissioner of Police, Cyberabad, it aims to take up the total number to 2.5 lakh CCTV cameras by the end of this year.

Addressing a gathering here, Sajjanar sought corporate companies' help and urged them to come forward and donate for the CCTV project as a part of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

"Our DGP Mahendar Reddy prevailed on the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to bring the donations under CSR. Because of his efforts, now all the donations made to CCTV project are considered as CSR Projects," he said.

He also shared that the maintenance of the CCTVs is now taken up internally. "We do not have to depend on external help. We have 19 trained constables in these areas. They are very efficient and competent to handle any problems," he added.

Addressing the gathering, Telangana DGP Mahender Reddy said, "Our target is to set up 10 lakh CCTV cameras in Hyderabad. He highlighted the importance of CCTVs for not only establishing and proving the crime but also to safeguard the innocent and law-abiding people."

"One camera is equal to the work of 100 police personnel. Cameras do not lie. Human witness memories may fade but CCTV evidence is very powerful and convincing," he added.

Mahendar Reddy said that Telangana Police are on par with the best in adapting to the new wave of technologies and far ahead of its counterparts of any other states.Reddy said trust is the most important factor. 90 percent of our challans are contactless and are evidence-based, he added.