Bhubaneswar, Sept. 21 (UDN): More than 800 CCTV cameras installed across Odisha police stations and outposts have reportedly stopped functioning, even as ₹76 crore earmarked for the surveillance system has been surrendered by the state government.
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The issue has prompted the Odisha Police to seek urgent government intervention for restoration of the surveillance network and release of funds required to clear maintenance-related dues.
Police Seek Immediate Repairs
In a communication to Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Hemant Sharma, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Sanjay Kumar has urged the government to intervene and direct the Odisha Computer Application Centre (OCAC) to restore the non-functional cameras.
The police officer has also sought reallocation of the ₹76 crore surrendered amount through the forthcoming supplementary budget. The funds are required to meet outstanding payments to OCAC and cover continuing maintenance expenses, according to the report.
Over 800 Cameras Reportedly Down
A September 17 assessment carried out by system integrators Krystal Integrated Services Pvt Ltd/KELTRON reportedly found 823 CCTV units offline. Separate figures cited at the headquarters level put the number at as many as 828.
Of the cameras reported to be non-functional, 795 are located inside main police stations, while another 33 are installed at remote police outposts.
The affected equipment forms part of a much larger surveillance network comprising 16,672 cameras installed across 645 police stations and 263 outposts in the state.
Maintenance Concerns Persist
The operational problems are not new. The issue was reportedly raised during a high-level government meeting on March 12, following which OCAC was repeatedly asked to ensure that CCTV feeds across police establishments remained operational.
Despite the interventions, a significant number of cameras continue to remain offline, raising concerns over gaps in surveillance at police facilities.
Supreme Court Mandate in Focus
The CCTV network assumes particular importance because of a Supreme Court directive requiring continuous and tamper-proof video surveillance at police stations and other establishments dealing with arrests and detention.
The court had ordered such measures to strengthen accountability and protect the rights of persons in custody.
Bharatpur Police Station Case Had Raised Similar Concerns
CCTV functioning in Odisha police stations had earlier come under judicial scrutiny following the alleged sexual assault of an Indian Army officer’s fiancée inside Bhubaneswar’s Bharatpur police station in September 2024.
The Orissa High Court subsequently took suo motu cognisance of the matter, including concerns over the availability of CCTV footage at the police station. The then Chief Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh had questioned the absence of functional camera footage, observing that working surveillance could have helped establish what happened inside the premises.
With hundreds of cameras now reportedly out of service, the latest figures have renewed attention on the maintenance and operational status of CCTV systems across Odisha’s police establishments.