Sambalpur: To prevent crimes and ensure public safety, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan flagged off 15 PCR vans equipped with 360 pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras and GPS tracking to aid surveillance on the occasion of Ram Navami on Sunday. The PCR vans will be accessible to people within 5-10 minutes of dialling 112, officers said.
Out of the 15 PCR vans, 12 will patrol the city, while one each are for Rengali, Rairakhol and Kuchinda. The vans with VHF sets for real-time communication will be functional 24/7.
As per a statement from Sambalpur police, the PCR system will facilitate rapid response to emergencies, ensure the presence of police at vital places, active patrolling, improve public safety, enhance tracking and monitoring, crime deterrence and decentralise resources to all aid posts in the city. It will also ensure surveillance of all exit routes.
Pradhan, also the Sambalpur MP, said, “The aim of the PCR vans is to strengthen law and order and to decrease criminal activities in Sambalpur. I am thankful to chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who holds the home portfolio, for the vehicles. The facility will be helpful in ensuring safety and security of the residents of Sambalpur.”
Police said the facility is part of measures adopted by the state govt on directions from the Orissa high court for peaceful Hanuman Jayanti procession between April 6 and 14.