As a measure towards stepping up monitoring at the Koyambedu wholesale market, video surveillance system is proposed to be introduced based on the recommendations of Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Limited.
TNUIFSL had proposed to install closed circuit cameras at nearly 50 points in and around the market. This would help regulate traffic problem in the market and also monitor maintenance work. Once the surveillance system is in place, incidents of theft or illegal activities could also be reduced.
According to sources in Market Management Committee, this is one of the suggestions made by the TNUIFSL to improve the infrastructure and maintenance of the market. The MMC will implement the system once the police department also provides its suggestions on video surveillance. Locations would also be finalised soon.
There are about 3,200 licensed shops in the flower, vegetable and fruits wholesale market, which sprawls over a space of nearly 60 acres. Welcoming the initiative, traders said that the proposal has been in discussion for many years now.
This would also help in preventing encroachments, which mushroom almost on a daily basis and retail trading without license.
The surveillance system would also help in securing traders’ property and prevent theft of public property inside the market premises. Additional manpower must be deployed to sustain the monitoring system, traders said. Tenders would be floated soon and the work to install CCTV cameras is set to begin in two or three months.
Meanwhile, work worth Rs. 33 crore to upgrade infrastructure facilities in and around the wholesale market is also nearing completion. Nearly 85 per cent of the work to lay concrete roads has been finished. Moreover, the project to construct stormwater drain network is also expected to be over in a few months.
