Smart city cameras fail, Minister assures Action

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Outdated Smart City CCTV cameras, lacking night vision and recorded footage, hinder investigations. Police raised concerns with Minister of State for Home, Yogesh Kadam, who vowed to push pending proposals for CM approval.

In 2018, 700 CCTV cameras were installed across the city under the Smart City project. A Command and Control Center (CCC) was established in 2021 at the Smart City office and the Police Commissionerate, offering live footage. However, police officials pointed out that this system is now ineffective in crucial cases. On Friday, after reviewing the Police Commissionerate, Minister Kadam visited the CCC to assess the issues.

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Live demonstration exposes flaws

During the Chaitanya Tupe kidnapping case, not a single Smart City camera provided useful footage. The cameras failed to capture the moving vehicle’s details, making it difficult to track suspects. To illustrate these limitations, officials demonstrated live footage from Harsul Chowk, revealing that the cameras were practically useless at night.

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Proposal Stuck for Six Years

The city police commissionerate’s expansion proposal has been pending for six years. Minister Kadam assured in a press conference that he would take up the matter with the Chief Minister, seeking approval and additional funding to upgrade the system.

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Cybercrime Losses Mounting

Residents of the city have lost Rs 50 crore to cyber fraud, yet police have managed to hold only Rs 5 crore and recover Rs 87 lakh. Acknowledging the shortfall, Kadam emphasized the need to equip cyber police with advanced technology to counter rising digital crimes.

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Salute Controversy: ‘I Do Not Accept Honors’

CM Devendra Fadnavis had earlier issued orders against ceremonial salutes. However, upon Kadam’s arrival at the Commissionerate, he was given an official salute. When questioned, he clarified, "I do not accept salutes, but since officers were already in position when I arrived, refusing would have been disrespectful. I instructed them not to give a salute when I was leaving." The urgency to upgrade surveillance infrastructure has never been greater, with law enforcement relying on a system that is struggling to keep pace with modern crime. Whether the government will act swiftly remains to be seen.