Cops overhaul positioning, increase number of CCTV cameras on Grand Road
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Bhubaneswar: Ahead of Bahuda Yatra and Suna Besha ceremonies in Puri, state police have reworked the positioning of AI-enabled CCTV cameras on the 3km Grand Road between Jagannath and Gundicha temples.
The overhaul is part of the revised crowd control plan following the recent stampede outside Gundicha Temple that left three devotees dead, police sources said.
"Supplementary artificial intelligence-powered surveillance cameras have been strategically implemented at additional locations, complementing the pre-existing monitoring infrastructure," said additional director general (ADG) Dayal Gangwar, who oversees operations at the integrated command and control centre (ICCC) for Rath Yatra.
Sources said new Puri SP Pinak Mishra drafted an additional list of critical locations where camera presence is essential for effective surveillance on crowd density. While at least 70 cameras were already in place on the Grand Road, the number has now been increased to 110.
Odisha State Police Housing and Welfare Corporation expeditiously installed the additional surveillance cameras on Wednesday. The corporation also conducted thorough inspections of existing cameras, recommending replacements for substandard units to maintain optimal surveillance capabilities.
"Technical clarification regarding the quality of camera footage can only be provided by the designated service provider. We encountered certain operational challenges stemming from adverse weather conditions, compromised internet connectivity and power interruptions. Nevertheless, these impediments were expeditiously addressed," Gangwar told TOI.
Responding to concerns regarding alleged poor functioning of the surveillance system, Gangwar said, "Our response mechanism consistently ensured immediate transmission of crowd density notifications to relevant police authorities for appropriate intervention whenever such alerts were generated through our surveillance network."
During Tuesday's security assessment in Puri, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi emphasised the paramount importance of real-time crowd density evaluation and swift operational response. The CM directed DGP Y B Khurania regarding the deployment of additional personnel, particularly those possessing specialised expertise in crowd management and traffic regulation protocols, during Sandhya Darshan (July 4), Bahuda Yatra (July 5), Suna Besha (July 6), and Niladri Bije (July 8) — all of which traditionally draw hundreds of thousands of devotees.
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