Gandhinagar, Sep 25 (IANS) Gujarat Police launched an initiative to expand the state’s CCTV surveillance network by involving citizens, residential societies, traders and commercial establishments, with police officials directed to replicate Ahmedabad’s public-participation model across the state.
Director General of Police (DGP), Gyanendra Singh Malik, has instructed all city police commissioners and district superintendents of police to hold meetings with citizens, residential societies and traders’ associations and encourage them to voluntarily install CCTV cameras at locations that can strengthen surveillance of public spaces.
The initiative follows the installation of more than 24,000 CCTV cameras in Ahmedabad between 2024 and 2026 with voluntary support from citizens, trader organisations and various associations during Malik’s tenure as Ahmedabad Police Commissioner.
Police said the network helped in the prevention and detection of crime and strengthened the city’s security system. Gujarat currently has more than 3.88 lakh privately-owned CCTV cameras in operation.
However, police said relatively fewer cameras cover public roads, parking areas and the entry and exit points of residential societies, creating gaps in surveillance.
Under the initiative, citizens installing CCTV cameras at residential societies and commercial premises have been advised to ensure that the cameras cover adjoining main roads, parking areas and important points of movement, in addition to their own premises.
Police have also advised the use of cameras equipped with night vision, a resolution of 4 megapixels or higher and sufficient video storage capacity.
Such features can facilitate surveillance during night hours and assist police in crime detection.
The state police leadership has told officials to broaden the network through public cooperation, with the approach summed up in the message: “The wider the network, the greater the security.”
The Inspector General of Police, Law and Order, has been appointed as the nodal officer for coordinating the implementation of the public awareness campaign across the state.
Police have appealed to citizens to voluntarily secure their premises with CCTV cameras and contribute to creating a ‘Safe Gujarat’.
The initiative is aimed at building a wider surveillance network through cooperation between the police and the public.
–IANS
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