More signals to come under automatic monitoring for traffic violations in Chennai

Announcing the installation of 2,000 more CCTV cameras in the city, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin accused the AIADMK of giving wrong information on the number of cameras installed by its government

The Traffic Regulation Observation Zone Control Room at Anna Nagar. | Photo Credit: M. VEDHAN

Three new roads in Chennai will be made “Traffic Regulation Observation Zones (TROZ)” and 30 new traffic signals will be fitted with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to automate monitoring of traffic violations, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced in the Assembly on Friday.

Pointing out that approval was granted in the last year’s Budget to create TROZ in three roads in Anna Nagar, he said three more roads will be made TROZ with the installation of 300 ANPR cameras to monitor traffic violations.

Apart from this, foldable and moveable barricades with ANPR cameras and image enhancing software will be procured for the Greater Chennai Police. This will particularly help in catching offenders involved in theft, chain snatching or other crimes, he said.

‘AIADMK misled’

He said 2,000 more CCTV cameras will be installed in various places in Chennai to improve the safety of the public, especially women and children. Referring to Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami highlighting in his speech in the Assembly on Thursday that 2.5 lakh CCTV cameras were installed in Chennai during the previous AIADMK government, Mr. Stalin said that an order issued by the Home department on November, 12, 2020 showed that only 1.45 lakh cameras were installed.

Importantly, he said, only 60,997 cameras were found when the present DMK government did a review after coming to power. Of these, only 2,853 were installed by the government. After the present government took charge, 22,229 cameras have been installed, he added.

Video bot

Among other announcements made by Mr. Stalin was the installation of artificial intelligence-based “video bots,” which can have human-like interaction with the public to answer their queries, in public places.

The Intelligence Section of the Greater Chennai Police will get a new Social Media Cell to answer queries from the public and to monitor and take action on information shared on social media concerning law and order.

The upcoming bus terminus in Kilambakkam will get a new police station. Apart from this, Vanagaram in Greater Chennai Police, Medavakkam in Tambaram Police Commissionerate and Pudur in Avadi Police Commissionerate will get new police stations.