Dysfunctional CCTV cameras leave Chennai worried over crime, safety

Chennai: A large number of CCTV cameras installed across Chennai as part of the Third Eye Project and Smart Wi-Fi Surveillance pillars under the Nirbhaya Scheme have become defunct. The devices are damaged, lopsided or completely obscured by overgrown trees, raising serious concerns over public safety.Residents complain that dysfunctional surveillance infrastructure has left several roads, junctions and public spaces without effective monitoring, undermining efforts to deter crime and respond swiftly during emergencies.In neighbourhoods including Perambur, Ramapuram, Purasawalkam and Vyasarpadi, CCTV cameras were once installed to improve public safety, but they have been rendered virtually useless.“The cameras near TASMAC bars have been vandalised by drunken people. Whenever any crime takes place in the locality, the police ask us to provide footage from CCTV cameras installed in our houses because the govt cameras are not working. Why should residents be forced to depend on private cameras when public surveillance infrastructure has been installed using taxpayers’ money? Many cases remain unsolved because there is no usable footage,” said C Raghukumar, convener of the Perambur Neighbourhood Development Forum.Residents lament that complaints to civic authorities have yielded little results. They said officials usually remove damaged cameras and assure them that they would be reinstalled after repairs, but months pass without the surveillance systems being restored.“The prolonged failure of the CCTV network has also raised concerns about reduced police surveillance during the night. Regular police patrols have become less frequent in several neighbourhoods, making functional surveillance cameras even more crucial for deterring crimes,” said B Shibu, a resident of Ramapuram.People living near parks, bus stops, markets and interior residential roads—particularly women, senior citizens and those returning home late at night—said the absence of working cameras has left them feeling increasingly vulnerable.When contacted, GCC commissioner G S Sameeran said, “An audit will be conducted in the next two months, and steps will be taken to replace the dysfunctional CCTV cameras installed in the city.”