CCTV cameras in buses a far cry

Russian company ready to bear cost but DTC yet to prepare blueprint

While the Delhi government has been making promises of installing CCTV cameras on the entire fleet of Delhi Transport Corporation buses over the last one year, the DTC is yet to prepare a blueprint of the project.

The DTC runs over 6,000 buses and the decision of installing cameras was taken to prevent sexual harassment and track theft, besides beefing up security of the passengers. However, the DTC management has not been able to prepare even the general outlook of the scheme. Senior DTC officials said the ‘proposal has not reached any stage’.

“Several things are still being worked upon. Where to place the CCTV cameras on buses? How would the cameras be monitored from a central monitoring station? What should be the resolution of the cameras and for how long the footage must be saved are some of the questions that are still under consideration,” a senior DTC official said, requesting anonymity. The DTC sources said several permutation and combinations are being worked upon. 

“An ex-CMD of DTC had even suggested that cameras should also be installed in a way that even movement of other vehicles on roads could also be monitored, which would help in identifying the mistakes of other vehicles in accident cases,” an official said.  
Sources added that a foreign company offered the corporation to bear the cost of the project, provided they are given the rights of advertising on the buses. 
Cost of installingThe entire cost of installing cameras is estimated to be around Rs 35 crore.  “A Russian company proposed that they would bear the cost. They wanted to install LCDs in the buses. As per the proposal, they intended to generate revenue by advertising through the LCDs. However, there is still no headway on that front,” a DTC official said.

While the idea of installing CCTV cameras was mooted by the state Social Welfare and Women and Child Development and seconded by the transport department, the home ministry and Delhi police have also been pushing for earliest implementation of the scheme.