The National Games, scheduled to begin by the end of this month in the capital city, will see the police getting a few more ‘eyes’ to keep a watch on the city.
While efforts have already begun to repair and replace around 90 surveillance cameras that had remained defunct for over six months, the police have called upon private parties to set up cameras, fixed and moving, in all the four venues inside the city on contract basis.
According to H. Venkatesh, City Police Commissioner, the University Stadium, the shooting range at the Vattiyurkavu Polytechnic, the Jimmy George Indoor Stadium and the Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium will have a total of 63 cameras to keep an eye on the proceedings, day and night. Of these, eight will be moving cameras — personnel of the agency that bags the contract going around with video cameras, shooting every nook and cranny of these areas.
As for the fixed cameras, there will be 22 of them installed at the University Stadium, while the other three venues will have 11 each. “Our aim is to have these cameras in addition to the 240 existing cameras in the city, all of which will be in working condition before the National Games begin. We have identified 10 other important spots, where we will have regular surveillance cameras fixed before the Games but on a permanent basis,” Mr. Venkatesh said. The Commissioner has asked those interested in setting up temporary cameras at the Games venues to approach his office before 5 p.m. on January 10 with their quotations or call up on 0471-2320579 for details.
(Reporting by Dennis Marcus Mathew)
