The Mumbai Police will deploy artificial intelligence (AI) and drone technology to keep an eye on densely-populated neighbourhoods so that the social distancing is strictly enforced to prevent spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh was given a demonstration at Worli in Mumbai in the presence of Mumbai's Joint Commissioner of Police Vinay Choubey.
On an average, India has only one police personnel per 761 people. In Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat this further increases to 950 people.
In light of the challenges that coronavirus has thrown up, enforcing the lockdown and social distancing even while maintaining law and order can further stretch the already stretched police force.
"Drones and AI will help maximise the police's reach in dense, difficult to reach pockets and become their eyes in the sky," said Deshmukh.
According to him, the technology will allow the police to address people and instruct them to disperse if there is crowding.
"It will also be able to contain the exposure of the police personnel if this is a contaminated area."
He further underlined how the COVID-19 has forced authorities world over to think out of the box. "The Maharashtra government is also doing its best to keep both citizens and police personnel safe. The deployment of drones is part of that endeavour," he added.
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