‘Smart eye’ cameras to monitor Bengaluru roads

Under the ‘Suraksha Mitra’ plan, more than 4,500 road junctions and main roads in Bengaluru will get 10,000 CCTV cameras. These cameras, called ‘Smart Eyes’ will have Artificial Intelligence (AI) and will keep an eye on the streets 24×7. The AI-powered cameras are different from the normal CCTVs. The cameras use a recent module of AI developed by POLSEC—a Brazilian security company—called Kinetic for Security (KFS).

According to the proposal by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike , the cameras will begin by learning how many people cross a particular street every day during a particular time. Eventually, if they find a sudden increase in the number of people passing on the same street at the same time, they will register this as an anomaly, and report it.

The ‘Suraksha Mitra’ proposal also has a few more guidelines to ensure women’s safety. Surveillance at public places, placement of NGO volunteers at police stations as well as critical care response units in major hospitals are some of the recommendations.

Funds for the massive project will be generated through the Nirbhaya Funds. Bengaluru has been allocated Rs 667Cr under the scheme and is also among the eight cities which have been shortlisted for the ‘safe city’ plan.