NOW, TV TO GET RAINS FOOTAGE FROM BMC
Fed up of channels showing old flooding clips, the civic body will use traffic police’s cameras to show the reality ……SUDHIR SURYAWANSHI
Worried that private television channels were showing old clippings of water logged roads on rainy days, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to use the 150 cameras installed by the traffic police at important road junctions, so that the true state of roads can be shown to citizens.
Civic officials said that old images of flooded roads beamed by television channels spread panic among viewers when the situation at the sites was less alarming than that being shown.
TV reporters can take the footage from the BMC’s disaster management centre to broadcast it. Apart from giving the true picture of the road conditions, the cameras will also help civic teams to undertake anti-flooding measures in the area. The cameras are now being used by the traffic department to control heavy traffic and divert it as par requirement. The visuals from the cameras will now also be used by the BMC. “The BMC disaster management centre and existing Traffic Police Control Branch (Worli) will be connected by cable in the next 10 days,” said Manu Kumar Srivastava, additional municipal commissioner.
Chief Minister (CM) Vilasrao Deshmukh had faced a lot of flak for several years while answering the queries about TV channels’ flooding footage. He was even forced to hold press conferences to clarify the situation and send the right message to people continuously. The usage of traffic cameras will be of great relief to the CM and BMC.
The cameras move 360 degrees to capture the images of surrounding areas. BMC staffers can locate the flooded areas and the intensity of flooding. “It will help to address problems of flooding, clogged drains and water receding issues. We will also be able to find out whether the 180 pumps that we installed to drain out the water are working and the numbers of staffers working on field,” said a senior civic officer.
Srivastava said during flooding, citizens call BMC office with certain queries and problems from their areas. “The cameras will help us combat the information on TV channels, which show old clips of water logging and flooding in particular areas when in fact the situation in the area is quite normal,” Srivastava added.
Vijay Kamble, joint commissioner traffic said, “The BMC and the traffic department always remain in touch and similar co-operation will be extended in future also.”