Surat, June 24 — For the first time, CCTV cameras installed by Surat Municipal Corporation and the police are playing a crucial role in aiding citizens during the ongoing monsoon crisis. These cameras, which were primarily used to monitor traffic violations and sanitation activities, are now being used effectively for flood monitoring, tree fall alerts, and emergency response coordination.
Surat has witnessed continuous heavy rainfall over the past two days, leading to the swelling of rivers and drains and causing severe waterlogging in several areas. On Saturday night, after a brief pause in rain, another spell of intense rainfall worsened the situation. In response, Municipal Commissioner Shalini Agarwal and senior civic officials reached the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) to take stock of the situation.
The city is currently monitored by around 4,500 CCTV cameras—3,500 operated by the municipal corporation and 1,000 by Surat police—all connected to the ICCC. These cameras provided real-time footage of waterlogging and fallen trees, prompting alerts to relevant municipal zones and departments even before citizen complaints were registered.
Thanks to this proactive surveillance system, fire brigade and health department teams were dispatched in time to affected locations. The cameras also detected rising water levels in khadis (canals), enabling timely mobilization of resources to vulnerable areas.
Where water had receded, teams were immediately sent for disinfection and cleanup operations, helping prevent the outbreak of waterborne diseases.
This marks a significant shift in the public perception of these cameras, which were earlier seen mainly as tools for imposing fines. Surat’s use of surveillance technology in disaster management is now being hailed as a smart and effective model under the Smart City initiative.
