TLDR: Delhi is set to activate over 3,500 AI-enabled cameras, gunshot sensors, and alert systems from October 1 as part of the ‘Safe City’ project. This initiative aims to significantly enhance policing and women’s safety by providing real-time alerts on various incidents, including crimes against women, shootings, and suspicious activities, marking a shift towards proactive law enforcement.
New Delhi is poised to revolutionize its urban security landscape with the launch of the ‘Safe City’ project’s first phase on October 1. This ambitious initiative will see the activation of over 3,500 Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled cameras, alongside gunshot sensors and advanced alert systems, fundamentally transforming police operations in the national capital.
At the core of this project is the deployment of Artificial Intelligence Video Analytics (AIVA), a sophisticated system designed to issue real-time alerts for a wide array of incidents. These include shootings, crimes against women, detection of stolen vehicles, and the presence of abandoned objects. The system is particularly focused on bolstering women’s safety, with AI software programmed to identify high-risk scenarios such as a woman being isolated and surrounded by a group of men, or a woman signaling for help. According to an official, “Both scenarios will automatically trigger high-priority alerts. A nearby PCR unit will be dispatched without waiting for a formal complaint. This is proactive policing.” Areas with a high concentration of women residents, including hostels, PG accommodations, college campuses, and workplaces, are being prioritized for camera deployment.
Beyond individual safety, the AI-powered surveillance will also monitor crowd gatherings, generating high-priority alerts if more than 50 individuals congregate in an unauthorized location, and low-priority alerts for smaller groups. The system’s capabilities extend to tracking abandoned objects, detecting gunfire, and scanning for hotlisted vehicles or individuals. Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras will identify stolen, suspicious, or blacklisted vehicles in real-time, while Facial Recognition System (FRS) cameras will cross-reference faces against a police database containing over 20,000 known criminals.
The first phase will bring 3,500 cameras online from a larger pool that includes 6,121 bullet cameras, 1,622 ANPR cameras, 370 FRS cameras, and 1,876 Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) cameras. Additionally, the project incorporates 200 gunshot detection systems, each equipped with three acoustic sensors, and 300 public address systems for emergency communication. These components will be strategically installed to ensure comprehensive coverage and rapid response.
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This significant technological upgrade comes nearly two years after the horrific Kanjhawala incident on December 31, 2022, where a woman was tragically dragged for over 12 km by a car. The incident prompted a massive review of surveillance gaps by the Ministry of Home Affairs, which directed an audit of vulnerable areas. A senior police officer stated, “After the Kanjhawala case, the Ministry of Home Affairs directed us to audit vulnerable areas. We found that around 10,000 additional cameras were needed. This project is being implemented in phases and will cover high-risk and densely populated zones first.” All alerts generated by the intelligent systems will be instantly forwarded to the Integrated Command, Control, Communication and Computer Centre (C4i) at the police headquarters, ensuring swift action. As an officer emphasized, “These are not just passive CCTV cameras. They are intelligent systems with AI-based video analytics. The system will instantly alert our Integrated Command, Control, Communication and Computer Centre (C4i) at police headquarters when it detects any abnormal activity.”
