In a bid to improve the capital's security, Delhi Police is likely to make installation of CCTV cameras mandatory for all shopkeepers in residential societies. If sources are to be believed, Delhi Police held a high-level meeting to finalise this issue.
If all goes according to plan, Delhi Police will soon issue an advisory to RWAs and shopkeepers to ensure high-quality CCTV cameras.
Currently, it is mandatory for cooperative group housing societies to instal about a dozen CCTV cameras on the society premises. The city's RWAs, however, have had no such mandate to follow until now.
BS Vohra, president of the East Delhi RWA joint front, said, “Almost 70 per cent of residential colonies here have no CCTV cameras. Over the past few years, individual households have installed cameras in front of their houses. Many people have formed RWA bodies, even in unplanned or unauthorised colonies, but only for the sake of their political gain. RWAs will welcome the idea if Delhi Police comes up with such an initiative.”
With the rising crime rate in the city, the installation of CCTV cameras has become a necessity. According to data released by the Delhi government, about 5,000 high-quality CCTV cameras have been installed in the past five years. Delhi Police has installed about 100 surveillance cameras in 2016, and has plans to instal one lakh CCTV cameras in the city this year. The proposal, however, is still pending with the lieutenant governor of Delhi for approval. ​
