CCTV Project Delayed: Rourkela Police Face Surveillance Hurdle in Crime Control

Lack of a systematic electronic surveillance system has become a major bottleneck for Rourkela police in effective monitoring of crimes and quick identification of criminals in the steel city.

- Prasanjeet Sarkar @Rourkela

Amid the escalating crime rate in the city, the delay in roll-out of the CCTV surveillance project of Rourkela Smart City Ltd (RSCL) is making matters worse for the cops.

Sources said the city needs at least 2,200 CCTV cameras at 1,800-1,900 locations for effective crime control and traffic management. Under the RSCL project, taken up at a cost of around ₹100 crore, 605 cameras have been installed at various locations across the city, including traffic signals and in areas with high traffic density. However, these cameras are lying dysfunctional for two years.