116 more CCTV cams for morning hotspots

Kolkata: The Kolkata Police will strengthen security measures at Kalighat and Lake areas, especially to ensure the safety of morning walkers and pilgrims. The cops will install 116 CCTV cameras at Rs 29 lakh in these two areas. While the Lake area will get 96 CCTV cameras at Rs 24 lakh, 20 cameras will be installed at Kalighat at Rs 5 lakh.
This came after Lalbazar top brass ordered the completion of a security audit of these areas. A tender in this regard was floated by Kolkata Police. CCTV cameras will be installed at multiple road junctions and entry points. Some of the proposed locations are Southern Avenue and S R Das Road entry, Kabir Road and S R Das Road crossing, Lake Avenue and S R Das Road crossing, R Sen Road and S R Das Road crossing, Abdul Rasul Avenue and S R Das Road entry, Abdul Rasul Avenue and Lake Place entry, Lake Place and R Sen Road crossing, Lake Temple Road and Lake Place crossing, Lake Avenue and Lake Place crossing , Kabir Road and Lake Place crossing, and Southern Avenue and Lake Avenue entry.Additional sites include Lake Avenue and Dr Satyananda Roy Road, Sarat Chatterjee Avenue and Dr Satyananda Roy Road entry, Southern Avenue and Lake Temple Road entry, and Southern Avenue and Sarat Chatterjee Street entry."Additionally, we can ascertain if anti-social activities are being organised close to these security zones. We are also trying to track any suspicious movement. In addition, the CCTV cameras will help us study the traffic situation. These measures will help reduce the number of accidents and avoid traffic congestion," said an officer.To exemplify the benefit of CCTV cameras, police mentioned about Behala area, which lacked such facilities once. However, the local police has now set up hundreds of CCTV cameras there. Besides these cameras, the traffic police at most crossings have also set up CCTV cameras. This has helped in solving crimes and also acted as a deterrent.Cops said they would share feeds from individual owners of CCTV cameras. "We are approaching individuals and trading establishments so that they share their camera footage with us," said an officer. Between Lake and Kalighat, the CCTV surveilance will also cover around 10 schools in these areas. "It will also help us to improve the general law and order situation in the area," said an officer from south Kolkata.