In an effort to allow vehicles to move smoothly on city streets, the police have decided to instal cameras at 10 important intersections.

?The gadgets will reach us soon,? said Kuldiep Singh, joint commissioner of police (administration). ?Once the cameras are in place, we will get to know about the situation at the intersections, sitting at the Lalbazar headquarters.?

The officers of the traffic control room have been directed to contact the deputy commissioner of police (traffic) as soon as they spot a heavy traffic snarl on the monitors.

A senior officer of the traffic department said although they receive complaints about traffic snarls at important crossings like Moulali, Shyambazar and Chowringhee during peak hour, there is no system to instantly find out the reason behind these. But soon, police will know the exact situation scanning the monitors at Lalbazar and pass on the necessary instructions to officers deployed on the spot.

The cameras will be installed at strategic points, focusing on the intersections and also the roads leading to them. There will be a number of monitors in the traffic control room at Lalbazar, which will be connected to the cameras. Officers will monitor the feed round-the-clock.

Jawed Shamim, deputy commissioner of police (traffic), said the move would serve two purposes ? issuing orders to traffic sergeants directly from the Lalbazar control room and conducting a study to find out the reason behind regular snarls.

The new system will also keep an eye on traffic sergeants and other policemen. ?Sometimes, allegations are levelled against certain traffic policemen that they disappear from important intersections even during rush hour. The cops, however, deny the charge when challenged. Once the cameras are installed, we will be able to find out instantly whether the allegations are true or false,? said a senior officer of the traffic department at Lalbazar.