Margao to get CCTV cameras at 16 locations before Chaturthi
Margao:
The Margao Municipal Council (MMC) is set to revive its CCTV surveillance network with the installation of cameras at 16 strategic locations before Ganesh Chaturthi. With this initiative, MMC aims to make a fresh attempt to tackle traffic congestion and crime in the city.
MMC chairperson Damodar Shirodkar said that a five-member committee constituted under the chief officer has already identified the locations for camera installation.
The committee, which met with RTO officials, police, and MMC representatives, has finalised the spots for the initial phase. While the MMC requires 100 cameras to provide CCTV coverage across the entire town, the civic body will begin with 16 cameras as part of the first phase.
Ten cameras have already been installed around the Sonsoddo waste treatment plant.
This initiative is a second attempt at establishing effective camera surveillance in Margao. The town first introduced CCTV cameras in June 2012 when the South Goa district administration installed a CCTV surveillance system from Holy Spirit Church to MMC square under the MP Local Area Development scheme. The system initially showed promising results, with traffic police successfully tracking down violators and issuing fines to vehicle owners based on CCTV footage.
A dedicated cell was formed of traffic personnel to monitor CCTV footage and detect violations. Police said the CCTV surveillance system created a sense of deterrence, thus enabling curtailment of the crime rate.
However, the exercise soon fizzled out. The surveillance network of 2012 turned dysfunctional largely due to a lack of maintenance. The absence of regular maintenance obligations from the vendor resulted in the system becoming irreparable, leaving Margao without effective CCTV surveillance for over a decade.
'The crime rate jumped steeply once the CCTV surveillance was out of order,' a senior police officer said.
This time, however, Shirodkar said, all necessary safeguards will be built into the agreement to be signed with the vendors to prevent any kind of misadventure. The new initiative also includes plans to introduce pay-parking areas to further address traffic congestion issues plaguing the state's commercial capital.
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