Delhi University student missing at Signature Bridge; all 60 CCTV cameras at the bridge non-functional

DU student missing: The mysterious disappearance of a 19-year-old Delhi University student has thrown a harsh spotlight on the absence of basic surveillance infrastructure on one of the Capital’s busiest and most accident-prone structures. Sneha Debnath, a student of Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College, went missing on July 7 near Signature Bridge—an incident that has exposed glaring lapses in security and government oversight.

Once touted as a feat of modern engineering, the 675-metre-long Signature Bridge now finds itself at the centre of a growing controversy, with non-functional CCTV cameras severely hampering the investigation.

Missing since early morning

According to the FIR filed by her sister Bipasha Debnath, Sneha had left home at 5:15 AM to help a friend reach Sarai Rohilla Railway Station in time for a 6:15 am train. The family tried contacting her at 8:45 AM, but her phone was found switched off.

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Bipasha said they then contacted the driver, Subhe Chandra, who informed them that Sneha had gotten off at Signature Bridge. “However, after we spoke to people at and around the bridge, they were not aware of her ever being there,” the FIR stated.

Dysfunctional surveillance system

Despite being a major structure in the city, the Signature Bridge is monitored by CCTV cameras that are entirely non-functional. Police sources confirmed that not a single camera on the entire stretch of the bridge is working.

“These are under maintenance, but none of them are functional,” said a police officer familiar with the case. “We have sent requests for servicing, but the vendors have not arrived yet.”

Officials noted that the issue is not new. As early as 2019, police personnel had flagged the absence of surveillance systems on the bridge. “The private contractor has not arrived here for maintenance in a very long time,” the officer added.

A known suicide and accident hotspot

The Signature Bridge has long been a site of concern for authorities. Since its inauguration, the structure has been associated with a spate of accidents and suicides. Yet, despite this, surveillance infrastructure remains neglected.

The bridge is reportedly equipped with around 60 CCTV cameras, with each streetlight on the central divider housing four units—two aimed at incoming and outgoing traffic, and two directed at the parapets along the Yamuna River. However, police sources say the entire network is currently non-functional, making the cameras effectively useless.

Police forced to rely on eyewitnesses

The lack of surveillance footage has made investigations into such cases extremely difficult. A senior officer involved in the case said that without CCTV evidence, they are forced to rely solely on eyewitness accounts—an unreliable and time-consuming method.

“Since there are no functioning CCTV cameras, we have to rely entirely on eyewitnesses, which can be very difficult to find—especially early in the morning,” the officer said. He added that even if someone had fallen off the bridge, “there is no certainty” in the absence of visual proof.

The case has now been transferred to the Crime Branch, with investigators treating it as a possible suicide. “Bodies resurface after four or five days—there is no way to be certain before that,” another senior officer said.

Family blames the state for negligence

Bipasha called the situation a shocking failure of governance. She said her sister has been missing for more than 72 hours and was last seen at a known suicide-prone site, yet the government has failed to ensure basic security measures.

“Despite its size and coverage by multiple police stations, not a single CCTV camera on or around the bridge functions, except one that only captures stills of speeding vehicles,” she said. The absence of footage has, according to her, left the police without leads and significantly hindered the investigation.

An FIR has been filed, and Bipasha hopes the case will gain enough attention to highlight the government’s negligence in maintaining critical public infrastructure.

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A tragedy waiting to happen

Since its opening, Signature Bridge has posed recurring challenges for the Delhi Police, particularly in preventing accidents and suicides. However, the persistent failure to restore surveillance systems suggests a lack of urgency in addressing these risks.

As the investigation into Sneha Debnath’s disappearance continues, the broader questions raised by this case—on public safety, surveillance failures, and accountability—remain unanswered.