Toby Antony By Express News Service KOCHI: Come next year, the security system in Kochi will be artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled with over 1,000 cameras controlling the entire traffic and surveillance activities in the city. The Police Control Room is all set to witness modernisation, including a new office which will be the command centre for policing activities as apart of Integrated Command, Control and Communication Centre (IC4) mooted by Cochin Smart City Mission. CCTV cameras connected to police control room became defunct once the Kochi Metro work commenced. Fortunately, IC4 project was conceived to make policing activities in city smart. The current police control room located at Thevara police station will be shifted to Ernakulam North police station building having a space of over 3,000 sq ft. “With the launch of IC4, more than 1,000 cameras will keep surveillance on the city. Traffic in the city will also be controlled with the help of cameras. Any traffic violation, including jumping of signals will be detected and fined on the spot. All these activities will be coordinated by the new police control room planned at North police station. It will take six months to one year to complete initial stages of the project, including installation of cameras,” S T Suresh Kumar, Assistant Commissioner, police control room, said. As the system is AI-enabled, vehicles booked for traffic offences cannot escape police net. “The system uses advanced technology so that when a vehicle involved in frequent traffic or criminal offence enters city limits, the police control room will be alerted automatically. And the movement of the vehicle will be monitored by cameras and AI technology. Similarly, public will be given timely alerts on traffic diversions. In case of any accident, the police will get immediate alerts,” an official said. Criminals and habitual offenders will also have a tough time roaming in the city once the system becomes operational. "If any person having criminal track record or wanted by the police reach these places, the camera will detect their presence and alert the police,” an officer said. IC4 network will be linked with other departments, including Fire and Rescue Service Department, KSEB, KWA, Legal Metrology Department, district administration, Tourism Department and Disaster Management Wing. “The project is estimated to cost around Rs 64.5 crore. Visakhapatnam-based Fluentgrid Ltd has been selected to implement the project,” an official said. Police to revive defunct CCTVs Kochi: Police control room is planning to revive the defunct CCTV cameras installed at traffic junctions in the city. The revival is proposed as a temporary arrangement till the Integrated Command Control and Communication Centre (IC4) planned by Cochin Smart City Mission comes into existence. However, a major issue is that cables connecting cameras with control room were disconnected to facilitate construction work. “Currently we have analogue cameras at traffic signals. Most of them are not working. Once the work on the Metro rail stretch till Thykoodam is completed, the cameras will be revived,” an officer said.

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