Delhi: Three-way access to CCTV footages

Delhi police, residents and the officials from Public Works Department will get an access to the footage of CCTV cameras which are soon to be installed in the national Capital.

The decision was taken by PWD Minister Satyender Jain in a meeting held two days ago while discussing the standard operating procedure (SOP) prepared by the department on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s ambitious project.

The CCTV footages will be stored for 15 days during which it can be accessed by any of the officials.

The Delhi Cabinet on August 10 had approved the project of installing 1.4 lakh CCTV cameras across the Capital at a cost of Rs 571.40 crore.

"The decision has been taken by the minister. An agreement will now be signed between the parties regarding the accessibility of the CCTV cameras. There will not be a continuous monitoring of footages and the recording will be stored for 15 days," said Manoj Parida, PWD's Principal Secretary, Delhi government.

The custodianship of the cameras has been a bone of contention between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and the Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal. Recently, a committee formed by L-G had recommended that the Delhi Police will be the custodian of the CCTV cameras installed in public areas in the national capital. However, the government has refuted all such claims.

"The cameras will be installed in next three months," said Parida. The L-G house on Monday clarified that no file pertaining to the installation of cameras is pending with it.

The installation of CCTV cameras in Delhi was one of the key electoral planks of the AAP in 2015 to improve the security and safety of the citizens. The national Capital so far has at least 2.5 lakh CCTV cameras in public areas, the number which AAP plans to increase by 1.4 lakhs.

In May this year, Kejriwal along with his ministers and legislators held a dharna near L-G's office accusing him of stalling the AAP government's ambitious project to install 1.4 lakh CCTV cameras across the city at the "behest of the BJP".

AROUND 1.4 LAKH CCTVS TO BE INSTALLED

• The Delhi Cabinet on August 10 had approved the project of installing 1.4 lakh CCTV cameras across the Capital at a cost of Rs 571.40 crore.
   
• The custodianship of the cameras has been a bone of contention between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and the Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal.
   
• Recently, a committee formed by L-G had recommended that the Delhi Police will be the custodian of the CCTV cameras installed in public areas in the national capital. However, the government has refuted all such claims.
   
• Delhi government said it will take three months to instal CCTV cameras.