Residents of Pune have raised a serious issue regarding the non-functional condition of several CCTV cameras installed in the city. They have cited that many cameras are reportedly out of order, meaning residents and police cannot rely on them during incidents.
Concerned residents expressed their frustration and highlighted how the lack of functional supervision leaves them helpless during disputes or emergencies.
Residents have their say
Rupesh Kesekar, a resident, raised the issue and said, “While visiting Shivajinagar police station, I noticed that a few CCTV cameras were not functioning. According to officials, the cables of these cameras were damaged during an official event in August 2023 attended by the Prime Minister. Despite follow-ups, only a few cameras have been repaired since then. Similar issues have been reported at the Vishramburg Police Station and other locations where non-operational cameras have affected the investigation.”
“Why are the cameras installed by PMC not properly maintained? Why are millions of taxpayers’ money being spent if the systems are not operational?” Keskar asked.
Bharat Surana, a resident of Maharshi Nagar, said, “The PMC has accepted the tender for installation of CCTV cameras across Pune. They installed and mounted these cameras at various locations and handed them over to the police for supervision to maintain public order. However, most of these cameras are not functional. In my area at Marketyard, about 80 CCTV cameras were not working. After several complaints, PMC has now started repair work in Bibwewadi and other areas. The police, in turn, claim to have received no message from the PMC about the condition of these cameras. Moreover, when asked, no information about repairs or maintenance was provided.”
“The omission not only impacts public safety, but also calls into question the efficient use of municipal resources. Both the PMC and local police are now under close scrutiny as residents demand swift action to address these shortcomings,” he added.
Manisha Shekatatkar, head of electrical department at PMC, said, “We have started the maintenance work on the CCTV cameras, but I cannot give you the exact details today. However, in the next fifteen days, we plan to repair most of the CCTV cameras.”