In its attempt to enhance security for women travelling in buses, Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has installed closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in 80 of its buses.
In the first phase of the pilot project, DTC plans to install CCTV cameras in 200 buses, including low-floor AC and low-floor non-AC buses in the national Capital.
“We have successfully installed CCTV cameras in 80 DTC buses of the Rajghat Depot. By this Friday, we will complete the target of installing CCTV in 100 buses of this depot,” DTC spokesperson RS Minhas said.
This is the first time in the history of DTC that CCTV cameras have been installed in its buses, which would prove useful for women passengers travelling in corporation buses, especially during the night.
Two depots — Rajghat and Sarojini Nagar — have been selected under this pilot project, the spokesperson said, adding 200 buses of the two depots will have CCTV cameras during the first phase. Installation of CCTV cameras would help in keeping tabs on pickpockets in buses, said a Delhi Police official.
“A control room has been set up at Rajghat Depot where our experts will monitor the footages of the CCTV on a daily basis. The cameras have a capacity to record for at least seven hours. Besides, we will also store the footage of 15 hours in computers kept in the control room,” he added.
The DTC official said that they recently got to see good results of CCTV when some students of a well-known private school used to force bus drivers to stop the vehicle at unauthorised places.
“Some senior students of a private school had been disturbing the driver of a DTC bus, which used to ferry students, by forcing him to stop at unauthorised places to buy soft drinks and other items. When the driver narrated the incident before depot manager, a bus having CCTV camera was sent on the duty. When students did it again, CCTV cameras recorded their activities. later, DTC handed over this footage to school authorities,” he added. The DTC official said that after installing CCTV cameras in 100 buses of Rajghat Depot, they will then start installation in 100 buses of Sarojini Nagar Depot.
After the December 16 gangrape case, it was decided to keep tabs on public buses. Also for the safety of women, DTC had also started providing two home guards in buses operating on night services.