The Hindu : Front Page : Enforcement, the hi-tech way

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 10, 2005

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Front Page

Enforcement, the hi-tech way

R. Ilangovan

CLOSE WATCH: The surveillance camera near Salem Collectorate. - Photo: P. Goutham

SALEM: Signal jumpers, stop-line violators, stone pelters and troublemakers, beware! Think twice before you resort to such unlawful activities. You are being watched closely. Smart policing for smooth law and traffic enforcement is here to stay.

For the Salem police, tracing such offenders is now just a mouse-click away. Six sophisticated PTZ (Pan, Tilt and Zoom) Sony cameras with powerful lens have been installed at important road junctions and bus stands in the city.

After Chennai, Salem is the second city to go in for this hi-tech surveillance system.

These cameras swirl 360 degrees with a motorised zooming, panning and tilting to arrest everything in its zone and transmit them to the Intelligence Section of the city police, where a screen has been established for round-the-clock monitoring. Higher officials also can have a watch from their chambers.

The chief technical officer of the Chennai-based D3D Technologies and expert in security software solutions S. Narayanan Yadav, told The Hindu that special software to suit the city's requirements had been installed. He has helped the Chennai City Police in many of its hi-tech surveillance projects.

The system is tamper-proof and weather-proof. Its recordings can be stored and retrieved even after a year. "No one can meddle with the software too," Mr. Narayanan said. As it functions on UPS, there are no fears about "blackouts".

Five cameras - three at the New Integrated Bus Stand and two at the Old Bus Stand have been installed. Another one has been installed at the Collectorate junction where political activities take place.

West Zone IG A. Subramanian congratulated the City Commissioner Abashkumar for this innovative venture and said that cameras would be installed at important points along National Highways in Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts. "Coimbatore will shortly have this hi-tech surveillance system," he said. The sponsors for the system in Salem are Vysya Educational Trust.

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