"The first target of the Mumbai CCTV network will be the south zone," said additional chief secretary (home) KP Bakshi, adding that this will cover South Mumbai and interiors of the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT).
Mumbai is on the verge of getting its much-delayed eye in the sky, with the first phase of the project to instal a CCTV-based surveillance system being soft-launched in mid-August.
The Rs949-crore project, originally floated after the 26/11 terror attacks, will see a network of 6,020 remotely-controlled, high-definition quality IP cameras being installed in 1,492 sites. It will help maintain law and order by enabling real-time streaming and quicker response, aid investigations, improve traffic management, ensure deterrence and generate evidence for judicial scrutiny.
These cameras will be installed in phases by October 2016, beginning with South Mumbai, which will be covered by November. The state has inked an agreement with a Larsen and Toubro (L&T)-led consortium, consisting of MTNL and CMS Computers Limited, after almost four years and several false starts.
"The first target of the Mumbai CCTV network will be the south zone," said additional chief secretary (home) KP Bakshi, adding that this will cover South Mumbai and interiors of the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT).
"A survey has been conducted in the entire MbPT area, all pole locations have been decided and 75% poles have been erected, while in the remaining south zone areas, nearly 60% poles have been put up," said Bakshi.
"We are ahead of the November-end target (for the south zone)."
He also said that the central control room was being erected at the new commissioner of police building.
"We have an internal soft target to commission the CCTV network in 150 places by August 15," said an official involved in the exercise, adding that wireless connectivity would be used to bridge last mile connectivity issues during rains, where digging is not allowed. Later, this will be shifted to a wired network. "After this soft launch, we will gauge if the feed has any issues and resolve problems without waiting for November."
"The BMC has given limited permissions for laying lines and erecting poles in certain areas where traffic will not be affected in the monsoon... BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta and MbPT officials have been helpful in pushing the CCTV project," noted Bakshi. He also said that multiple agencies — the police, the BMC and power distribution companies — were involved in the project. A viewing centre will also be established in the Mantralaya.
The official said the survey had been completed for most of the remaining regions, and added that around 100 institutions, including malls and hospitals, had been identified and would be provided network connectivity for "event-based access" to their CCTV system during times of need.
The South Mumbai region will be covered by November 2015, followed by the north and east (April 2016), and central and west (September 2016). The project consists of operations and maintenance for five years post go-live.
The plan to instal an average of 14 cameras per sqkm was bid out July 2011 onwards but faced repeated hurdles. The successful bidder was blacklisted in January 2012 and, in September 2012, the bidder defaulted on bank guarantees. An open tender got no response in November 2013 and, in July 2014, one of the two bids received was disqualified in technical evaluation. Finally, the L&T-led consortium was awarded the contract.
What the project will include
4,850 fixed box cameras
1,150 PTZ cameras (which can be remotely controlled and rotated at 360-degree angles, tilted and zoomed in)
20 thermal cameras for the coastline
Two data centres, 10 mobile vans with mounted cameras to help control rooms monitor the ground-level situation
A picture intelligence unit based at the police commissioner's office and facial recognition software
GPS-based tracking of about 1,000 police vehicles, integration of the city's spatial information with a GIS system for a shorter response time and a vehicle tracking system with automatic number plate recognition
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