Thrikkakara municipality to come under surveillance of 130 CCTV cameras

Thrikkakara municipality will soon come under the watch of 130 CCTV cameras as the civic body embarks on a campaign to curb illegal waste dumping in public spaces.

The municipality has allocated ₹70 lakh for the first phase of the ‘Safe Kochi’ project, a joint initiative of the Ernakulam district administration and the Kochi City police in association with local bodies. The project will be launched on Saturday (August 23). Each of the 43 divisions in the municipality will be allocated three CCTV cameras at locations chosen by the councillors concerned.

“While the primary objective is to prevent illegal waste dumping, the project has also been formulated in a manner to check the crime rate as well. CCTV footage will be live-streamed at the municipal office, local police stations, and the centralised control room of the Kochi City police,” said Unni Kakkanad, former chairperson of the municipal health standing committee.

The CCTV system will be installed with the support of the Kerala State Electricity Board Limited (KSEB) and a private cable television network. Power supply for the network has been arranged by councillors through consultations with nearby houses, shops, and offices. Installation will be completed within a couple of months, said Jayesh Vijayan, project manager of Kochi-based SNB Technologies, which has been chosen for the supply and installation of CCTVs through e-tender.

“In the initial phase, road surveillance cameras will be installed. In the second phase, cameras with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) facility will be added. The municipality will allocate funds for the second phase when required. Since live footage will be available at police stations, prompt action can be taken against offenders,” said Mr. Kakkanad.

Resident associations, clubs, places of worship, public and private enterprises, and individuals may also install cameras and link them to the CCTV network. Several organisations and resident associations have already come forward to participate.

The cameras and Network Video Recorders installed under the project will carry a five-year company warranty and a two-year on-site warranty. The district electrical inspectorate has granted technical sanction for the project.