Pune Municipal Corporation’s CCTV Initiative Hits Snag with 1,054 Cameras Out of Service

Pune, 29th August 2024: With criminals becoming increasingly active in Pune city, the police are finding it challenging to control crime. Meanwhile, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had installed 2,909 CCTVs in public places throughout the city at significant expense. However, 1,054 of these CCTVs are currently not working. Although PMC installed these cameras, they are controlled by the police, and there is no clear plan for who will cover the costs of repairing the malfunctioning CCTVs, leaving them inoperative.

Following a bomb blast in Pune, it became evident that the city was a target for terrorists, prompting efforts to increase CCTV coverage. PMC took the initiative to install these cameras, which have proven effective in solving many crimes and could also be useful in the event of accidents. Over the past few years, corporators installed CCTVs in their wards, after which control was transferred to the Local Police Chowkies.

The Electrical Department of PMC has installed 2,909 CCTVs in the city, with 1,855 currently operational, leaving 1,054 cameras out of service. Frequent incidents such as Koyta gang attacks, murders, fights, and burglaries, as well as concerns about women’s safety, underscore the importance of these surveillance tools. With over 1,000 CCTVs non-functional, it seems as though criminals have been given free rein. Manisha Shekatkar, Superintending Engineer at the Electricity Department, PMC, stated that after PMC installs a CCTV, control is handed over to the local police. To date, PMC has installed 2,909 CCTVs, with 1,054 currently not working.