SHILLONG, MAY 3: Close to 300 cameras with facial recognition softwares will soon be installed all over Shillong city.

According to the chief minister Conrad K Sangma, installation of such cameras will help act as a strong deterrent to law breakers.

His statement also assumes significance at a time when the city is witnessing frequent arson attacks on government properties including police stations.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Sangma informed that Rs 150 crore has been sanctioned under the Smart City project for setting up of the Integrated Control and Command Centre (ICCC).

“Work is already on and in different junctions you must have seen high level cameras being set up. There will be closed to 300 cameras all over the city and this will also be enhanced by facial recognition softwares and the ICCC and IT Park is being set, which we expect will be inaugurated in month of July,” he said while adding “Absolutely, we are upgrading the system and we are on the job and coming this july the inauguration of the integrated command centre with 300 plus cameras with facial recognition softwares.”

Asked, the CM said, “We cannot say it will detect everything but one thing for sure it will be a strong deterrence and when these cameras are there in different locations, which we will expand as we move along, it will be a strong deterrent as people know they are being watched and these cameras are there.”

“We assure that this will help in reducing these kinds of incidents and other crimes in the future and obviously it will help the state government and police specially to gather evidence in different situations but one cannot say that it will completely eliminate hundred percent because we cannot have cameras in every corner because of limitations but we will start with these numbers and we will keep expanding them in the future,” he added.