Pune: Nearly 2,000 PMC CCTV Cameras Out Of Service Due To Lack Of Maintenance, Raising Safety Concerns
Pune: Nearly 2,000 PMC CCTV Cameras Out Of Service Due To Lack Of Maintenance, Raising Safety Concerns
Pune, June 27, 2026: Serious concerns have been raised over public safety in Pune after it emerged that nearly 2,000 CCTV cameras installed by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) are currently non-functional due to a lack of maintenance and delayed repair work.
According to information provided by the PMC, a total of 1,998 CCTV cameras were installed across the city between April 2019 and March 2022 at a cost of ₹16 crore. However, the civic administration reportedly has no accurate data on how many of these cameras are currently operational. The situation has worsened as the PMC has failed to issue fresh maintenance and repair tenders after the original contracts expired, leaving most of the surveillance network inactive.
The CCTV cameras were installed using ward-level funds allocated to corporators. Despite the poor condition of the existing surveillance system, the PMC spent an additional ₹2 crore from the MLA’s development fund to install 252 more CCTV cameras in the Kasba Assembly constituency during 2023 and 2024.
The issue came to light after former BJP corporator Priyanka Shendge raised questions during the PMC’s June general body meeting. In its written response, the civic administration acknowledged that no new maintenance tenders had been issued after the original contracts, which had covered repairs for two or three years depending on the project, came to an end.
The PMC stated that all CCTV cameras were initially connected to the nearest police chowky or police station. However, despite repeated notifications from the police about malfunctioning cameras, the civic body has reportedly cited a lack of funds for not carrying out repairs. In many locations, damaged network cables and disrupted power supply have rendered the cameras inoperative.
Shendge also sought details regarding road excavation carried out for laying CCTV cables. The PMC informed that permission had been granted to dig approximately 28 kilometres of roads for cable installation. However, restoration of these roads remains incomplete.
According to the civic body’s written reply, only around 40 per cent of the resurfacing work has been completed by the contractor. The unfinished road restoration is expected to cause inconvenience to commuters, particularly during the ongoing monsoon season.
