Visakhapatnam: Vizag is eyeing a smart city tag but neither police nor GVMC officials have any idea on when will the CCTV cameras at 94 major junctions in the city would be a reality.
The GVMC had awarded the contract for the project to Hyderabad-based Stan Power in 2013 on seven years Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis at a cost of about '7 crore for effective monitoring of vehicular traffic and safety. This comes with the benefit of revenue from advertisement hoardings at 50 junctions in the city. But only 30 per cent of the works are completed so far.
Sources in the police department said the contractor of the project is deliberately delaying the project for various reasons. One reason for this is his displeasure over the GVMC officials for having identified the locations for the hoardings and not releasing the work orders for the project.
ADCP (Traffic) K Mahendra Patrudu said that as per the agreement between GVMC and Stan Power firm, fixed cameras and pan-tilt-zoom cameras and modern traffic signals have to be installed at all the selected 94 major junctions, including junctions on NH-16 stretch from Lankelapalem to Madhu-rawada.
But, so far only 30 pc of works have been completed and no one knows when the CCTV cameras project will be a reality.
Lack of CCTV cameras has been a long pending problem in Vizag, the biggest city in the state. Though the CCTV cameras project was launched in March 2013, it is yet to completed. In October, 2014, cyclone Hudhud damaged some poles and works.
So far, Satyam Junction in the city is equipped with the CCTV cameras and the set contains electronic sensors, placed on the road, integrated to the cameras and interface PC on the pole. Besides sending visuals to the control room, the system will coordinate with the nearest signal point and control the traffic lights.
The cameras will monitor the road and make a decision about the traffic change and alert the next traffic junction. GVMC Commissioner Pravin Kumar said that they instructed the contractor to complete the project early to make Vizag city under the blanket of surveillance camera. However, sources said that if the project complete by December 2015, it will be a wonder.
