Aizawl (Mizoram) [India], April 11 (ANI): Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma, along with the Home Minister K. Sapdanga, who also holds the Urban Development and Poverty Allevation portfolio, visited Aizawl Ven Buk - the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) located at Treasury Square, Aizawl, on Friday.

The Chief Minister expressed appreciation for the CCTV network, which now covers almost every densely populated area of Aizawl and enables comprehensive surveillance and secure record-keeping.

He stated that although the system is primarily focused on monitoring, it plays a vital role in ensuring safety and maintaining public order.

He emphasized that, if extended to more areas, the facility would be beneficial not only for monitoring Aizawl city but also for surrounding regions. It would also prove highly useful in disaster-prone zones and during emergency response situations.

He called for efficient operations and close coordination with relevant departments to maximize the utility of the centre.

During a briefing at the Control Room, Minister K. Sapdanga highlighted the real-time surveillance capabilities of the centre.

He mentioned that a recent incident reported on social media -- such as 'someone being stabbed by a group of youths carrying a gun' -- had been confirmed as false through this facility.

C.C. Lalchhuangkima, CEO of Aizawl Smart City, outlined the operations, revealing that 237 standard CCTV cameras and 39 Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) cameras have been installed across 76 key locations in Aizawl. The PTZ cameras are capable of zooming in clearly to identify individuals, and facial recognition technology has been deployed at five critical locations.

Additionally, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems have been installed to monitor traffic violations and vehicular movements.

Large screen Variable Message Displays (VMDs) have also been installed at five locations and are actively used for public information dissemination. Free Wi-Fi services are being provided at 15 locations.

Due to its advanced technology, Aizawl's ICCC is now ranked among the top three in India. Video footage is retained for approximately 30 days, with important data archived and non-essential footage permanently deleted.

The system has identified nearly 600 cases since its implementation.

Toyota Company, under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, recently donated additional equipment for the Aizawl Traffic Management system, including more CCTV infrastructure. These assets will be integrated into the ICCC network.

The Aizawl Ven Buk (ICCC) was officially inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on April 1, 2023, with a total project cost of Rs. 87.18 crore. The monthly operational cost is around Rs. 7.8 lakh.

For public convenience, the facility is accessible for use at a nominal fee of Rs 100.

Accompanying the Chief Minister on his visit were Lalmalsawma Pachuau, Secretary of Planning and UD&PA, officials from the UD&PA Department, Aizawl Smart City Limited, ICCC staff, and officers from the Police Department. (ANI)