Ahmedabad is gearing up for a significant expansion of its electronic surveillance network within the next few months. The city is set to double its current count of CCTV cameras, marking a major leap in its security and traffic management infrastructure under the ongoing Safe and Secure Ahmedabad (SASA) initiative.
Massive Scale-Up in Surveillance Density
The second phase of the SASA project will see the installation of an additional 6,000 CCTV cameras across key locations in the city. This ambitious expansion will bring the total number of cameras under the project to 12,200. Consequently, the surveillance density in Ahmedabad will jump dramatically from approximately 13 cameras per square kilometre to about 25 cameras per square kilometre.
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's (AMC) Smart City company floated the tender for this request for proposal (RFP) on November 27. The new cameras are slated to be installed at 88 major junctions and 17 flyovers, underpasses, and canal culverts, creating a more comprehensive monitoring web.
Automated Enforcement and Enhanced Capabilities
A key feature of this upgraded network is its capability for automated enforcement. The system will enable the automatic issuance of e-memos for a wide range of 19 different violations. This list includes common traffic and civic offences such as:
- Wrong-side driving
- Riding without a helmet
- Illegal parking
- Public littering and spitting
- Vehicle theft
This move aims to deter violations and promote better civic behaviour through constant, automated monitoring.
Background and Infrastructure of the SASA Project
The SASA project is a collaborative effort between the AMC's Smart City company and the Ahmedabad city police, launched nine years ago with an initial investment of Rs 239 crore. The first phase aimed to establish 130 "zero tolerance junctions" equipped with 6,200 cameras and 126 variable message display (VMD) boards.
Substantial infrastructure was created to support this system, including a dedicated command control centre built on a 2,300 square metre plot in Paldi at a cost of Rs 9.16 crore. The project also involved setting up IT infrastructure worth Rs 62 crore. This network connected 1,576 points via BSNL lines and was fortified with features like biometric RFID access control and high-end HVAC systems.
The operation and maintenance (O&M) contract for the initial 6,200 cameras installed in Phase 1 expired in March 2023. Although a new three-year O&M tender was subsequently awarded, the period saw a rise in complaints regarding non-functional cameras across the city, highlighting the need for robust maintenance in the expanded phase.
The impending rollout of Phase 2 represents a decisive step towards making Ahmedabad a more digitally monitored and regulated urban space, with authorities betting on technology to enhance law enforcement and public order.
