Odisha police proposes Rs 1,000 crore budget for enhanced CCTV surveillance across state

Bhubaneswar: Odisha police have sought a substantial budget of Rs 1,000 crore from the govt to enhance CCTV surveillance infrastructure across the state, with a goal to cover all district headquarters by March 2026.DGP Y B Khurania on Tuesday said that a comprehensive proposal of Rs 1,300 crore was submitted to the govt, with Rs 1,000 crore earmarked specifically for developing a robust CCTV network. “The remaining Rs 300 crore is intended for hiring counsellors, crime scene officers, and executive assistants to support police stations,” he said.The DGP said that the govt recently allocated about Rs 100 crore to install AI-powered cameras between Uttar Chowk (Bhubaneswar) and Puri town, and Puri and Konark, and within Konark town. Odisha Computer Application Centre (OCAC) has been tasked with establishing a CCTV command centre in Puri, with the project slated for completion by Rath Yatra next year.Khurania emphasised the importance of CCTV as a force multiplier for police, crucial for both crime prevention and detection. “Though some districts currently have CCTV cameras, those are inadequate. Our aim is to cover all public places in district headquarters under CCTV cameras by March next year,” Khurania said.Sources said the plan includes deploying AI-enhanced CCTV cameras with facial recognition capabilities at Bhubaneswar’s entry and exit points, areas currently lacking surveillance, which hampers crime investigation. The advanced surveillance system aims to bolster security through AI-driven monitoring, featuring capabilities such as detecting suspicious objects, tracking movements and real-time video analysis.The facial recognition technology will identify unauthorised individuals at key points, triggering immediate alerts to the unified command centre (UCC). The system will be integrated with the UCC at the police commissionerate headquarters, ensuring real-time alerts and notifications for prompt action by field officers.Currently, the capital city has around 1,800 CCTV cameras installed by Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited and Odisha police. However, with the city’s rapid urban expansion, the number is deemed insufficient for effective crime prevention and investigation. Police sources suggested that about 5,000 cameras are needed for comprehensive coverage, as the current setup covers less than 30% of primary locations. Additional cameras are required on major roads, highways, slums and key junctions to enhance security and surveillance.