Mumbai to get 15,000 more AI-powered cameras to bolster security network

Mumbai: In a major boost to Mumbai’s urban security, the city is set to witness a significant expansion of its surveillance infrastructure with the deployment of around 15,000 additional AI-powered cameras across five zones under one of India’s largest city surveillance upgrades.

The ambitious project aims to strengthen real-time monitoring, improve inter-agency coordination, and enhance public safety in the country’s financial capital, which remains one of India’s most sensitive metropolitan centres from a security perspective.

Mumbai, which has remained on high alert since the 26/11 terror attacks, has steadily expanded its surveillance systems over the past decade to support anti-terror operations, crime prevention, traffic management, and disaster response.

Officials believe the new phase will substantially improve the city’s preventive and response capabilities in a densely populated and high-risk urban environment.

The project is expected to commence in this month and will be implemented and operated over a six-year period at an estimated cost of Rs 2,198 crore.

The phase is being executed by a consortium comprising GVPR Engineers Limited,Secutech Automation and CMS Computers, bringing together expertise in infrastructure execution, integrated technology systems, and operational deployment.

Building on earlier phases of the Mumbai City Surveillance Project, which established extensive camera coverage at critical locations, the latest expansion focuses on enhancing system intelligence and integration rather than merely increasing numbers.

The upgraded network is expected to incorporate advanced AI-based video analytics, including facial recognition, vehicle and traffic monitoring, speed violation detection, crowd behaviour analysis, and automated incident alerts. Security agencies believe these capabilities will help law enforcement identify suspicious activity more quickly and improve response times during emergencies.

The deployment will integrate surveillance feeds from multiple zones into a unified command-and-control framework, enabling better coordination among the police, civic authorities, traffic management agencies, and disaster response teams.

Apart from strengthening anti-crime and anti-terror surveillance, the system is also expected to support routine urban management functions such as traffic regulation, crowd control during festivals and public events, accident response, and civic monitoring.

Unlike earlier surveillance systems that were largely reactive, the new AI-enabled network is designed for predictive and proactive monitoring, allowing authorities to detect anomalies, assess threats in real time, and take preventive action before incidents escalate.

Experts say such integrated surveillance systems are increasingly becoming essential for megacities like Mumbai, where security challenges range from terrorism and organised crime to traffic congestion, large-scale public gatherings, and climate-related emergencies.