The Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) will install 100 additional CCTV cameras across the city to enhance surveillance, particularly in crime-prone areas.

The decision comes in the wake of incidents of robbery, theft and snatching, said sources. In recent weeks, there has been a rise in snatching of cell phones, gold chains and other valuables by bikers, especially in the evenings.

Ranjan Sarkar, Siliguri's deputy mayor, said the new high-tech cameras would include sound recording features to help police trace culprits more effectively.

“We have decided to install around 100 new cameras in different locations of the city. They will be monitored by the Siliguri Metropolitan Police,” said Sarkar.

As of now, there are around 400 CCTV cameras in the city that were installed through a joint initiative by the Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority and the SMC.

However, Sarkar said some of them were defunct. "We will also repair and reinstall these cameras for better surveillance,” he said.

“Siliguri Metropolitan Police had earlier set up surveillance cameras at major junctions. But many areas, particularly narrow alleys and colonies, stay outside coverage zone. These new cameras will be put in such places,” said a source.

Sources said that many councillors had also independently installed CCTV cameras in their wards.