G20 Summit: Police to use 5,000 CCTV cameras to keep a close watch on the city

Ahead of the G20 Summit taking place on September 0-10, officials at the Delhi Police on Thursday said that they will keep a close watch  on the city from its control room through a network of 5,000 CCTV cameras.

The control room is getting district-wise visuals, the police said. They added that the monitoring will be on round-the-clock shifts.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena visited Rajghat and Pragati Maidan during the day to take stock of various preparations for the summit.

“Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora briefed the LG about the security preparedness and details of the control room, where live visuals captured by more than 5,000 CCTVs installed in different parts of the city will be received,” a police official said.

“Two teams comprising 25 security personnel will be monitoring in shifts the digital information being beamed into the control room round the clock,” he said.

A special command room for 30 top police officials has also been set up to monitor developments in the city, the official said. The control room is receiving district-by-district images.

The Delhi Police has coordinated with numerous security agencies and has put in place necessary security measures for the summit.

The Indian Air Force, as well as specialized central organizations like the National Security Guard (NSG) and some of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), are assisting it.

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has trained 19 markswomen in total, and they will be placed in strategic areas throughout the city during the summit, according to the officials.

In addition, they said that over 400 Quick Response Teams (QRTs), together with firefighters and ambulances, were being stationed in key areas.

The police have conducted a thorough analysis of protests held by various international and local groups in other countries during prior G20 Summits as part of their preparations for the massive event.

In order to deal with unwanted and unplanned agitations at the summit, police would also use chains and bolt cutters, the officials added.

The department previously stated that special commissioner of police rank officers will serve as the commander and deputy commissioner of police rank officials as the zonal commanders for venue security arrangements.