Complete control of the CCTV system will now be under the direct monitoring of Delhi Police in an effort to ensure effective and integrated operations....There is going to be a big change in the security system of the capital. The Delhi government is preparing to completely hand over the control of the operation and monitoring system of all CCTV cameras to the Delhi Police, whose operation is still in the hands of the Public Works Department (PWD). Keeping in mind the safety of women and quick action on crime, the government is taking this decision so that surveillance of lakhs of cameras installed in the capital can be integrated and more effective. About 2.8 lakh CCTV cameras have been installed in two phases in the capital, whose live feed and recording control is currently with the PWD. Only authorized officers of the department can view the feed of these cameras. Camera footage is available to the police only when a formal request is made to the PWD in the case of an investigation or crime. According to police sources , due to this arrangement, the police sometimes take time to get the necessary footage and immediate action and investigation are affected. Government plans to transfer control, live feed, recording, storage and monitoring of CCTV network to Delhi Police. This would make a single central agency responsible for security oversight. The police already have crime prevention, patrolling and urban security systems. Both the action and monitoring will be faster when the CCTV system is added. At present, the command-and-control center operated by PWD maintains a record of the live feed for 30 days. Officials say more than 12,000 CCTV footages have been made available to the police so far. In many cases the action has been delayed by the investigation agencies not being able to record the video at the time. The capability of real-time monitoring of security incidents remains limited. To address this shortcoming, the government wants to give control to the police so that incidents can be responded to immediately. Sources say CCTV has become an important security pillar in the capital. Centralized system for crime prevention, women safety, monitoring of traffic and sensitive areas. PWD Minister Pravesh Verma has directed the department to install 7,300 cameras soon and completely update the CCTV operating protocol. Bharat Electronics Limited has already been given the responsibility for maintenance which is planned to be extended for another two years.