5 of 12 CCTV cams put up to keep eye on water-logging points out of order

To tackle flood-like situations in the city, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had installed CCTV cameras at 12 different spots last monsoon. Only seven of the 12 cameras were found to be working when an inspection was done recently.
The civic body is also unable to implement its plan to install 25 more CCTV cameras because it is unable to get the job done at the price it is willing to pay for the installation.

2010 flood havoc
There was a flood-like situation on September 29, 2010, that had played havoc with the city, and four labourers became victims of a compound wall collapse at Eklavya College. Help from the PMC had come late at the time as the area was under floodwaters.

Is it working? A CCTV installation on a city road. Pic/Krunal Gosavi

Additional Engineer Vinod Kshirsagar, who installed the cameras at various locations in the city to monitor the water-logging points during the monsoon, said, "Seven CCTV cameras are working and the entire monitoring system is being looked after by the Disaster Management Cell of the civic body."

Deputy Commissioner (Disaster Cell) Pravin Ashtikar said that the CCTV system was working at Bhelke Nagar (Kothrud), Chandramani Society (Swargate), Royal Travels (Kothrud), Alaka Talkies (near Sambhaji Bridge), Shiv Chaitanya Society (Kothrud), Lodha Petrol Pump (Bibwewadi) and Market Yard (off Satara Road).

Ganesh Sonawane, project support officer, Disaster Management, PMC, said, "We have started testing the camera network based on broadband connectivity via Internet." The installation of 25 more CCTV cameras was planned this monsoon and the PMC approved Rs 15 lakh for the total installation work, said Additional Commissioner, Roads, Vivek Kharwadkar.

"It (the installation) now appears a little problematic as we are not getting response for the tendering process initiated to get a low-cost operator who will install these cameras." he said.u00a0