Gurgaon: GMDA is planning to upgrade its phase-I CCTV surveillance network with newer technology comprising higher-resolution and AI-enabled cameras. Additional features will include automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), red-light violation detection (RLVD) and facial recognition systems (FRS). GMDA officials said the proposed upgrade is being planned in line with changing requirements of the traffic police.The phase-I network — whose installation began in 2019 and was commissioned in 2022 — currently has around 1,200 cameras at 218 locations, mainly covering key junctions and roads in the main city. The existing cameras at older junctions would be upgraded by adding ANPR, RLVD and FRS capabilities. ANPR will help in tracking vehicles across multiple junctions, while RLVD systems will help detect traffic violations such as red-light jumping.In addition, 6,000 more CCTV cameras will be installed as part of the broader CCTV expansion plan under phase-3 of the project. Both the installation of new CCTV cameras under phase-III and the upgradation of the existing phase-I network will be taken up as part of a single phase-III CCTV project. The matter is likely to be put up before the next authority meeting.“The upgrade is aimed at improving coverage and meeting the latest requirements of the police department for traffic management, surveillance and law-and-order purposes,” a GMDA official told TOI, adding “The technology in the newer cameras is more advanced. They come with AI and edge-analytics capabilities, which increase the functionality of a single camera. Instead of requiring multiple systems for different functions, more features can be built into the camera itself. The idea is to incorporate the features required for the current traffic and surveillance needs.”The scope of the project will be modified to incorporate the upgraded requirements and new surveillance features, the official said. “The phase-I cameras were installed more than six years ago and technology has advanced significantly since then. We are looking at upgrading them to higher-resolution cameras, from the existing five-megapixel cameras to eight-megapixel cameras,” the official said.“Under the proposed upgrade, we are looking at adding ANPR, RLVD and facial recognition capabilities at the older junctions. The police have sought greater coverage of ANPR because it makes vehicle tracking easier. If ANPR is available at more junctions, it can help in tracking a vehicle across different locations. RLVD coverage also needs to be increased to improve monitoring of traffic violations,” the official said.The upgrade will also involve cameras with improved computing capabilities. Officials said newer cameras available come with AI-enabled or edge-computing capabilities, allowing some processing and analytics to be carried out at the camera level rather than relying entirely on central servers.In 2024, govt approved the installation of 10,000 cameras at 2,000 sites, including public spaces, community zones and govt buildings at an estimated cost of Rs 422 crore under phase-III. However, govt later directed GMDA to rework the plan based on the coverage achieved under phase-1 and 2 and the requirement of the police.Currently, work on phase-2 is under way with 2,722 CCTV camesar being installed over 258 locations. The project is targeted to be completed by Dec end.
