3,500 AI-enabled cameras to guard Delhi under 'Safe City' project from October 1
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
Come October 1, Delhi's streets will have over 3,500 activated Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled cameras, gunshot sensors and alert systems under the first phase of the 'Safe City' project aimed at transforming the functioning of police in the national capital, an official said on Saturday.Equipped with Artificial Intelligence Video Analytics (AIVA), the system will issue real-time alerts on incidents like shootings, crimes against women, stolen vehicles and abandoned objects.The move comes nearly two years after the horrific Kanjhawala incident on the night of December 31, 2022, when a 20-year-old woman was dragged for over 12 km by a car in outer Delhi. The incident shocked the nation and prompted a massive review of surveillance gaps in the city."After the Kanjhawala case, the Ministry of Home Affairs directed us to audit vulnerable areas. We found that around 10,000 additional cameras were needed. This project is being implemented in phases and will cover high-risk and densely populated zones first," a senior police officer said.In the first phase, a total of 3,500 cameras will go live, drawn from a larger pool of 6,121 bullet cameras, 1,622 Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, 370 Facial Recognition System (FRS) cameras, and 1,876 Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) cameras.Additionally, the project includes 200 gunshot detection systems -- each comprising three acoustic sensors -- and 300 public address systems (speakers). These will be strategically installed to provide real-time alerts and enable public communication during emergencies."These are not just passive CCTV cameras. They are intelligent systems with AI-based video analytics. The system will instantly alert our Integrated Command, Control, Communication and Computer Centre (C4i) at police headquarters when it detects any abnormal activity," the officer added.The alerts will also be forwarded simultaneously to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) offices and local police stations. This tiered structure will ensure faster response and accountability.At the heart of the Safe City project is the goal of strengthening women's safety. The AI software in these cameras is programmed to flag high-risk scenarios such as a woman being isolated and surrounded by a group of men, or a woman waving her hands seeking help."Both scenarios will automatically trigger high-priority alerts. A nearby PCR unit will be dispatched without waiting for a formal complaint. This is proactive policing," the official said.Areas with high concentrations of women residents, such as hostels, PG accommodations, college campuses and workplaces, are being prioritised for deployment. Locations known for frequent cases of harassment, snatching and eve-teasing are also being mapped and covered under this surveillance net.The system will also monitor crowd gatherings and alert authorities to potential flashpoints. If more than 50 individuals are detected congregating at a location not designated for public assembly, a high-priority alert will be generated.A gathering of fewer than 50 people will be flagged as a low-priority event.In addition, the technology will track abandoned objects, detect gunfire, and scan for hotlisted vehicles or persons.The ANPR cameras will be able to identify stolen, suspicious, or blacklisted vehicles in real time, while FRS cameras will match faces against a police database of over 20,000 known criminals.In case of a gunshot, the acoustic sensor will immediately relay the direction of the sound, prompting a PTZ camera to pan and zoom toward the source, offering investigators a real-time visual."Once an alert is received, the operator at C4i will verify its authenticity. If genuine, it is assigned a priority level, and the nearest patrol unit is mobilised. If the alert is found to be false, it is dismissed with proper reasoning," the officer explained.The system is also designed to serve as a force multiplier for the Delhi Police. By capturing high-definition, time-stamped visuals of incidents, the footage will offer evidentiary support in court and help in post-incident analysis.Supervisory officers will be able to review how on-ground personnel responded to situations, helping improve accountability and operational effectiveness."It's a training tool as well. Officers' performance in crisis situations can be reviewed to improve responses in future. This is not just about technology, but also about transforming the way we police the city," the officer said.The first phase is expected to dramatically change how Delhi Police monitors and responds to crimes in public spaces.The remaining two phases of the project are expected to be completed by the end of 2026, eventually bringing the entire capital under the lens of AI-backed surveillance.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Outrage in China as thousands of private pictures of girls posted online
This is a representative AI image Beijing: Thousands of men allegedly shared intimate photos and videos of their girlfriends without consent on the Telegram app, Chinese media reported, sparking widespread outcry against secret filming and calls to better protect women. Pornography in China is illegal, and conservative social attitudes towards women remain the norm. It comes after a Chinese university expelled a woman student this month for "damaging national dignity" over videos posted by a Ukrainian esports player on Telegram suggesting they had been intimate. The Chinese state-owned Southern Daily reported this week a woman had discovered that photos of her taken unknowingly had been shared in a Telegram forum with over 100,000 users, mostly Chinese men. Members of the forum also shared photos of their girlfriends, ex-girlfriends and wives, according to a commentary in the Guangming Daily, an outlet backed by China's communist party. Revelations of the group have sparked widespread outcry online. "We can no longer remain silent. Because next could be me, or it could be you," read one comment on Instagram-like Red Note. A related hashtag has been viewed more than 230 million times on social media platform Weibo since Thursday. The largest group, called "Mask Park", has since been taken down, but smaller spinoffs remain active, according to reports. Chinese authorities have yet to publicly announce any action against the Telegram group. afp
Hindustan Times
9 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
'Will AI replace lawyers? Law intern asks to use ChatGPT for witness analysis, gets hard copies instead
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to make inroads across industries, the legal profession is grappling with its place in traditional workflows. A recent viral post by senior advocate Sidharth Luthra on Twitter has sparked a fresh wave of debate.(AP) A recent viral post by senior advocate Sidharth Luthra on X has sparked a fresh wave of debate, after a law intern revealed he was prevented from using ChatGPT to analyse witness statements during an appeal case. The intern, who was assisting with legal work, had proposed using the AI tool to help process and interpret complex witness testimonies. However, his mentor reportedly dismissed the idea and instead handed him a stack of hard copies, telling him to rely on 'natural intelligence' over artificial intelligence. (Also Read: IT firm employee claims no salary hike for 3 years, wants to buy autorickshaw: 'Drive it before, after working hours') 'A law intern wanted to use Chat GPT to analyse witness statements for an appeal in my office. His mentor gave him hard copies to use natural Intelligence instead of artificial Intelligence [AI]!!!!,' Luthra wrote on X. The post caught fire on social media, with many users, including legal professionals, weighing in on what it says about the current attitude toward technology in law. How did X users react? 'AI can very well read and analyse hard copies as well. At times better than humans,' one user commented. 'Law practitioners must embrace AI, not oppose it.' Another responder shared a startling anecdote from the field, 'In some prominent police stations in Telugu states, officers are reportedly using ChatGPT to prepare remand copies. Statements were being recorded and processed by AI, all without the accused knowing. It was saving typing time and the sections were also accurate, they said.' Some took a more balanced view, noting the potential of AI when combined with human judgment. 'Natural intelligence combined with artificial intelligence is the way forward.' 'AI won't replace lawyers, but lawyers who use AI will replace those who don't, the next 5-7 years will prove this.' The exchange has since opened a wider conversation about how, and when, AI should be integrated into legal processes. While some see it as a threat to tradition, ethics, or even job security, others argue that AI tools like ChatGPT can streamline research, improve drafting accuracy, and eliminate repetitive tasks. (Also Read: 'Utterly shameful': Viral video of foreign tourist cleaning waterfall in Himachal sparks debate)
The Hindu
9 hours ago
- The Hindu
West Bengal Governor returns Aparajita Bill to State govt. for reconsideration
Raising concerns over the death penalty provisions in The Aparajita Women and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024, West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose has returned the legislation to the State government for further consideration. 'One of the proposed amendments seeks to enhance the punishment for rape under Section 64 of the BNS, 2023, raising it from the existing minimum of 10 years to life imprisonment for the remainder of one's life or death. The Ministry of Home Affairs has termed this change as excessively harsh and disproportionate,' an official of Raj Bhawan, Kolkata, said. The West Bengal Legislative Assembly had unanimously passed the Aparajita Bill on September 3, 2024, introducing stringent punishment in cases involving sexual assault. The Bill was sent to President Droupadi Murmu by the Governor on September 6, 2024. The legislation, which was passed 25 days after the rape and murder of a doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, provides for the death penalty in five categories of offences — rape, rape by a police officer or public servant, rape causing death or resulting in a persistent vegetative state, gang rape, and repeat offenders. Raj Bhawan officials pointed out that the Bill proposes to make the death penalty mandatory in cases where the victim dies or is left in a vegetative state under Section 66 of the BNS. 'The Ministry of Home Affairs has raised concerns over the removal of judicial discretion in such cases,' the official said. According to Raj Bhawan, the Bill also proposes to delete Section 65 of the BNS, 2023, thereby eliminating the distinction in punishment for the rape of women under 16 and under 12 years of age. 'The Ministry has observed that the removal of such classification violates the principle of proportionality in sentencing,' the official added. The development comes amid repeated appeals by the Trinamool Congress government urging the Union government to grant assent to the Bill. A delegation of Trinamool Congress MPs met President Droupadi Murmu on February 13, to press for early approval of the legislation. Certain legal experts had described the Aparajita Bill as a knee-jerk response by the West Bengal government.
