From beautification and busts, to CCTVs — what councillors choose to do for their wards is changing.
A councillor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) in central Calcutta has installed over 160 CCTVs in her ward using the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) fund assigned to the ward. Some other councillors are also planning to do the same.
MPLADS funds are routed through the KMC.
Usually, the funds are given for developing roads, footpaths, building bus shelters, developing water supply or drainage infrastructure. Funds for CCTVs show the changing priorities in a changing city, said KMC sources.
A senior officer of Kolkata Police said they welcomed the step as it boosts police monitoring of their areas.
Five monitors were installed in Muchipara police station to keep tabs on what the cameras were recording.
Monalisa Banerjee, councillor of Ward 49 — where 167 CCTVs were installed over the last few months and became operational from end-May — said when the MP from North Calcutta asked her how she wanted to use the funds, she sought a couple of days.
“I felt I needed to do something for which I would not get funds from the KMC,” she said.
The KMC provides funds for repairing footpaths, beautification and gardening, besides building or repairing infrastructure; but the civic body is not known for releasing funds to install CCTVs, she said.
“Sudip Bandyopadhyay (the North Calcutta MP) lauded the idea,” she said.
Biswarup Dey, councillor of neighbouring Ward 48, is also exploring installation of more CCTVs in his ward, which includes the jewellery hub of Bowbazar.
“The gold merchants of Bowbazar have already requested the installation of more CCTVs. I have also received a verbal request from Muchipara police station. I will soon talk to police for a written request so that I can explore the possibility of MPLADS,” Dey said.
All MPs use a part of their annual funds for developing local amenities. For doing so, they seek proposals from councillors and MLAs in their constituencies.
CCTVs will increase security for residents, traders and visitors to the ward, Banerjee said.
Ward 49 covers areas bordering Sealdah station. It is bound by Surya Sen Street in the north, BB Ganguly Street in the south, APC Road in the east, and Amherst Street in the west.
The area has many hotels and markets. Lakhs use Sealdah station every day. CCTVs can help record and detect any criminal activity, said Banerjee.
Once the MPLADS funds arrived early last year, she contacted Muchipara police station and informed them about the plan.
“The proposal went to Lalbazar and the tenders for installing CCTVs were floated by the Kolkata Police headquarters. I handed over the money to the Police. The location of the CCTVs were decided in consultation with them,” she said.
“Our objective was to ensure that there were no blind spots,” Banerjee said.
Kolkata Police has already installed many CCTVs, most of them on arterial roads with heavy traffic. More CCTVs will add to the monitoring, police officers said.
“We welcome this step. We also encourage residents to install CCTVs as it helps in policing and in detecting unlawful activities,” said Indira Mukherjee, deputy commissioner of police (central division).
No CCTV should be aimed at anyone’s home, officers said.
An officer of Muchipara police station said CCTVs had many functions.
“It works as a deterrent for someone planning a crime because the person realises everything is being recorded,” said the officer.
“It also helps detect crimes, and violations during law and order incidents. It also helps in detecting if someone is falsely accusing another person.”