Dust has become a huge problem in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, by covering the CCTV lenses and in turn blurring the images. According to a report , nearly 2,000 CCTV cameras have been installed in the city to fast-track detection of traffic violations, road accidents and burglaries.
A thick layer settles on the camera glassware due to the dust problem in Ahmedabad, historically referred to as Gardabad by Mughal emperor Jahangir, which makes crime detection next to impossible.
Every week, nearly 30 CCTV service request tickets to fix out-of-focus cameras are raised before the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). Out of these, 8 to 10 complaints are about the dust settling on the camera lenses. “Every week, we witness 30-40 cameras producing blurry visuals due to dust covering the lenses,” TOI quoted a police officer as saying.
In many areas, construction work by AMC or private contractors leaves a cloud of dust hanging in the air and obscuring vision, the officer added. These dusty cameras are blocking crime detection. As per the reports, CCTV cameras in the city have been installed under various government schemes, including the civic Smart City project, Nirbhaya fund, Suraksha Setu and the home department’s budget
