The rape and murder of a 14-year-old has triggered the Bidhannagar Commissionerate into bolstering the CCTV coverage of three zones under its purview. As part of the initiative, over 100 cameras are being installed at strategic areas across Salt Lake, New Town, Baguiati and Lake Town.

The exercise started about two weeks ago. “We are targeting the dark areas which are unattended, like the area where the incident had taken place. Cameras were not there at Loha Pool. There are dark patches also near P&T Quarters and the canalside in Salt Lake. Cameras are also being installed at strategic locations like all the entry points of Rajarhat and Salt Lake,” said a senior police officer of the commissionerate.

In 2023, CCTVs had been installed across Salt Lake. Expensive ANPR cameras, with automatic automobile licence plate-reading capability, were installed. “We have ANPR cameras at Bailey bridge, Salt Lake gate 1, gate 2, gate 4, Bengal Chemical, PNB Island and Baisakhi island, among other places.

The current lot of CCTVs comprise PTZ (pan tilt zoom) cameras, which can be panned and tilted by 360 degrees and also have zooming facility. The control rooms will be in the respective police stations. In Salt Lake, 14 cameras have been installed under the Bidhannagar East police station, 20 under North, and 10 under the South police station. Three more will soon be added at the Bidhannagar South thana. CCTV coverage has also been boosted at important installations like City Centre, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, and the CC Block post office. The exits from Salt Lake to the canalside are also being placed under e-vigil.

The police have also done a survey on the CCTV cameras installed by private individuals. Under the Bidhannagar North police station alone, for instance, 600-700 CCTV cameras on private premises have been spotted.

The area under the Bidhannagar South police station, had 52 CCTV cameras earlier. Most of the 13 cameras allotted in this phase so far have been installed in Sukantanagar.

In New Town zone, each of the five police stations were given the option of installing 10 cameras each. “Some are installing more. So we are looking at a number around 50,” said the officer.

“Increasing CCTV coverage will help us monitor and deter potential threats,” a police officer said. The toto driver arrested for the rape and murder of the girl was tracked after police found CCTV footage of the girl walking up to him.

Write to saltlake@abp.in