40 CCTV cameras to ensure road safety on Valparai ghat road

Coimbatore: The rural police have installed 40 closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) along the treacherous, winding Valparai ghat route to monitor traffic, deter reckless driving and prevent fatal accidents similar to the one reported on April 17 that claimed 10 lives.Police have strategically positioned one camera at every single one of the 40 sharp hairpin bends on the route. Currently, 17 of these cameras are fully operational with active cellular network connectivity via SIM cards, allowing real-time monitoring. The process to equip and connect the remaining 23 cameras is on.The CCTV units are being installed with robust external cage protection designed to shield the delicate equipment from monkeys and other wild animals prevalent in the area.District superintendent of police K Karthikeyan said the cameras were equipped with a continuous seven-day data storage capacity. "Apart from tracking vehicle speed and curbing rash driving, we plan to utilize this surveillance network to efficiently manage peak tourist traffic during weekends and closely monitor forested boundaries to track and prevent illegal logging activities in the region."