Karnataka government is planning to bring the entire Bangalore city, which is on terrorists' radar, under a Rs 500 crore 24x7 surveillance system for effective monitoring and also to curb crime.
The government was thinking to install CCTV cameras and high resolution night cameras in all parts of the city in the backdrop of terror strikes in Mumbai and Delhi, state Home Minister R Ashoka told reporters.
The Centre has promised to fund the project by providing Rs 500 crore assistance, he said. The surveillance system, when becomes operational, will help police to keep a close watch on crime, traffic violations and other incidents and track criminals, he said. Similar system is also planned for other major cities in the state such as Mysore, Hubli and Belgaum, he said. The police have been directed to install CCTV cameras at busy locations like city markets, bus and railway stations, Ashoka said.
He said very soon CCTVs would be installed in the High Court premises as part of measures to scale up the security as per the advise of the Centre. Lower courts in the city would get the gadets in a phased manner.
Ashoka said the state police had furnished information to the Centre on the culprits responsible for the April 17, 2010 low intensity bomb blasts near the Chinnaswamy Cricket stadium, in which five persons were injured.
"Due to security reasons, the details shared with the Centre cannot be disclosed to the press", he said. Ashoka said high resolution cameras had been installed atop the Vidhana Sabha which will help police in maintaining a constant vigil over a three kilometre radius around the secretariat building including its annexe Vikas Soudha, high court and other places.