Daijiworld Media Network – Margao

Margao, Jun 27: In a bid to rein in spiralling traffic woes and petty crime, the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) has announced plans to roll out a fresh CCTV surveillance initiative ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi festivities. As part of its renewed efforts, 16 key locations in the city will soon be under constant watch, reviving a project that had once promised much but fell victim to poor maintenance.

Speaking to the media, MMC chairperson Damodar Shirodkar confirmed that a five-member committee led by the chief officer and comprising officials from the RTO, police, and municipal representatives, has finalised the first-phase sites. While a comprehensive network of 100 cameras is required to fully cover the city, the MMC will begin with 16 as a pilot move. Notably, ten cameras have already been installed around the Sonsoddo waste treatment facility.

This isn’t Margao’s first brush with digital surveillance. The city had first witnessed the installation of CCTV cameras in June 2012, under the MP Local Area Development scheme. Cameras from Holy Spirit Church to the MMC square helped police identify violators and enabled proactive action, creating a deterrent that visibly curbed unlawful activity. A dedicated team of traffic personnel once monitored live feeds, ensuring the technology translated to tangible results on ground.

However, the project faded into oblivion due to a critical flaw—absence of maintenance. With no binding obligation on the vendor for upkeep, the cameras soon stopped functioning. For over a decade, Margao has remained without a functioning surveillance system, a gap that, police say, has contributed to a noticeable rise in the local crime rate.

Determined not to repeat past mistakes, MMC chairperson Shirodkar assured that robust maintenance clauses would be included in the new vendor agreements. “This time, safeguards will be in place to prevent system failure and ensure long-term functionality,” he said. The initiative also aligns with wider plans to introduce paid parking zones across the city to alleviate chronic traffic congestion.

With Ganesh Chaturthi approaching, authorities hope the reintroduction of CCTV cameras will not only boost security during the festive season but also lay the groundwork for a safer, better-managed Margao in the years to come.