Hyderabad Police unveils revamped surveillance grid, EYES teams to boost CCTV reliability

The Hyderabad City Police on Thursday launched the Advanced City Surveillance Grid Management Protocol, along with Empowering Your Everyday Safety (EYES), a new multidisciplinary team created to ensure the city’s extensive CCTV network operates with fewer disruptions.

Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar described it as a major overhaul of how the city maintains and upgrades its surveillance infrastructure.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar along with Additional Commissioner of Police, Crime & SIT, Hyderabad, M. Srinivasulu and other senior officials at the inauguration of EYES team.
| Photo Credit:
NAGARA GOPAL

The new system is intended to handle an ecosystem that now includes more than 16,000 police-owned CCTV cameras, over 50,000 community and private feeds, and upwards of 1 lakh Nenu Saitam community-linked cameras. “Police-worn body cameras and soon-to-be deployed drones add to the growing mix. The focus remained strictly on the technological framework and its operational structure,” said the officer.

He also said that central to the protocol is a Technology Due Diligence Team, tasked with defining minimum equipment standards and working with innovation hubs and major tech firms to test new solutions. “Supporting this work is a Camera Support Call Centre that will manage fault reporting, service ticketing, damage escalation and footage-related queries from investigating officers,” he added.

Mr.Sajjanar said that once an issue is flagged, it is handed quickly to the EYES field teams. “Each zone will have two such units made up of trained technicians who can repair urgent breakdowns, handle disrupted infrastructure and coordinate with civil or structural contractors whenever needed. Their work will be backed by a stores unit using RFID tagging to maintain inventory and ensure that spares are ready when required, as well as a dedicated Repair Centre capable of diagnosing defects, carrying out major repairs and managing warranty claims with manufacturers,” explained the officer.

A CSR Desk linked to the Hyderabad City Security Council (HCSC) will focus on mobilising funds and encouraging public participation through programmes such as ‘donate a camera – build a safer street’. A Data Analytics Team will support the system with real-time dashboards, insight-led planning and management of call-centre workflows.

Officials said the integrated system is expected to reduce downtime, improve incident response, cut costs and widen community involvement in public safety. The police have also deployed a fleet of 10 two-wheelers, four four-wheelers and a mechanised aerial ladder unit to respond to CCTV-related issues.

Mr.Sajjanar said EYES would mark a new chapter in surveillance maintenance, adding that the mix of due diligence, rapid response, strong logistics and analytical intelligence would push the policy in an entirely new direction.

As part of corporate social responsibility, a cheque for ₹4 lakh from the Christian Leaders Forum was handed over to the Commissioner by Central Zone DCP K. Shilpavalli.