Hyderabad:
As many as 500 more CCTV cameras are being installed across various places in Hyderabad under the 'Safe City' project, Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) B Prasada Rao today said.
"The actual requirement in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad and Cyberabad Commissionerate is 3,000 plus and gradually we will scale up the CCTV installation to that level," Prasada Rao told reporters here.
The state government had in June promulgated 'AP Public Safety (Measures) Enforcement Act-2013', which makes it mandatory to put in place certain public safety measures in all establishments in view of recurring incidents of terror, attack in the city.
The Act makes it mandatory for all establishments, where a gathering of 100 or more people is expected at a time, to provide access controls and install closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance cameras.
"The state police has vigorously pursued this matter," the AP Police chief said, adding, "We are alerting people in public places, religious places, markets and putting proper safety and security measures in such places."
Asked if there was any specific (terror attack) alert for New Year in Hyderabad, the DGP said, "About a week back we got an alert for Hyderabad. In Madhya Pradesh there was a jail break (and subsequent arrest) in that regard there was a security alert."
"Vigil on the coast is on a continuous basis. We will be further strengthening the existing 21 marine police stations in the coastal districts of the state," he said in reply to a question on whether terror elements were planning entry through coastal areas of AP.
To another query, he said, "Sleeper modules may be there, we are keeping a watch on them. We are taking action also, and new people are also joining in."
He said Hyderabad and Cyberabad police have issued some guidelines in view of New Year celebrations, including closure of celebrations by 1 AM which should happen decently and not cause inconvenience to others.
To a query on the cause of fire in an AC coach of Bangalore-Nanded Express train in Anantapur district on Saturday last in which 26 persons were charred to death, the DGP said, "Preliminary reports suggested the fire was due to electrical short-circuit, but a through investigation is on to ascertain the exact reason behind the fire including if there was any sabotage."