CCTV vigil to start in eight Gujarat cities from today

GANDINAGAR: The Gujarat Public Safety (Measures) Enforcement Act, which was passed by the state assembly earlier this year, will be enforced from August 1. Establishments are now required by law to install CCTV cameras and other security equipment. Such equipment and their feed are to be monitored regularly by public safety committees. The law covers commercial, industrial, social and religious places.

The Government of Gujarat had stated that the law will be enforced in all settings, where at any given moment there are 1000 or more people present, as well as in settings where there are 1000 or more people present during the entire day. According to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office released on July 31, the new law will be enforced in a phased manner. It is set to be introduced in eight big cities including Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar, Gandhinagar, Jamnanagar, Junagadh, Rajkot, Surat and Vadodara under the first phase. Provisions of the law require establishments to install CCTV cameras and metal detectors of stipulated specifications. All establishments will need to preserve CCTV footage for at least past 30 days. A police officer of the rank of sub-inspector or above will also be authorised to seek CCTV footage from establishments, and public safety committees will be appointed to oversee the implementation of the new law.