159 Corporation schools to get CCTV cameras in 2 mths

To make Corporation schools safer for girls, the civic body has expedited the installation of CCTV cameras and assured that the works will be completed in two months.

“Work order to a private firm has been issued based on a resolution passed in the Council meeting recently. The firm has already commenced the works and cameras have been installed in 5 schools,” a senior Chennai Corporation official told DT Next.

The GCC had proposed to implement the project for around Rs 5.50 Crore, but now it cost is Rs 4.41 crore, after negotiations with the private firm, which has been sanctioned under Nirbhaya Fund. Under the project, 636 CCTV cameras will be installed at 159 school premises, where girl students are studying.

Each of the 159 schools will have four cameras, which will ensure safety of around 35,000 girl students studying in them. Placement of cameras will be decided based on building structure of the school.

When asked whether the CCTV cameras would be monitored centrally at the Ripon Building, the civic body’s headquarters, the official clarified that cameras will not be centrally linked, and that the headmasters of the respective schools will monitor them.

“There is no need for the head office to monitor the dayto-day activities of the schools. Monitors will be placed in the rooms of the headmasters, who will monitor students regularly,” the official added.

The civic body has already installed smart poles at 49 locations so that women in distress could alert authorities and create a gender lab at Ripon Building. The gender lab conducted a session with the Chennai Corporation engineers on Thursday about making the city streets inclusive for women.