Delhi Court directs Police Commissioner to ensure installation of CCTV cameras on NH8, Dhaula Kuan

New Delhi [India], May 15 : Delhi's Patiala House Court has recently directed the Commissioner of Police, Delhi to have a meeting with civic agencies like NHAI, Public Works Department (PWD) and Delhi Cantonment Board etc to ensure the installation of CCTV camera on the stretches like NH-8, Ring Road and Dhaula Kuan loops which are prone to road accidents.

The court said that the figures for such unsolved cases are alarming.

Motor Accident Claim Tribunal (MACT) Judge Shefali Barnala Tandon said after hearing the submission on the application of SHO Delhi Cantt.

The court has also sought a detailed report from the commissioner of Police.

The Judge said, "The Tribunal has great concern over the same as the figures of such unsolved cases are alarming when most of the road accident cases can be solved by making use of technology and hi-technological devices including CCTV Cameras having a high resolution to capture the relevant details of an accident, which should be installed at major traffic areas on the roads of Delhi and especially in the accident-prone areas."

"Accordingly, the Commissioner of Police, Delhi is directed to have meeting (s) with Civic Agencies namely NHAI, PWD, Delhi Cantonment Board etc. for installation of CCTV Cameras at NH-8, Ring Road, Dhaula Kuan etc. and make sincere efforts that high-resolution CCTV Cameras are installed at the aforesaid places at the earliest so that most of the accidental cases can be worked out," the judge ordered on May 8.

The judge observed, "The Motor Vehicles Amendment Act, 2019 is a benevolent legislation and was brought with the object and intent to compensate the family of the deceased and the persons suffered with injuries including permanent disability in a road traffic accidents."

"However, it is a plight that the majority of road accident cases remain unsolved even in this Era of technology and the victims are deprived of justice," the judge pointed out.

"The Commissioner of Police, Delhi is also directed to file a detailed report regarding the outcome of the meeting (s) on or before the next date of hearing," the judge said in the order.

The court said, "Before parting with the aforesaid application, in this background of numerous road accidents resulting into death or injuries to the public at large and not losing the sight of traffic conditions in Delhi, the Tribunal deems it appropriate to call for a detailed report on traffic management from the Commissioner of Police, Delhi to be filed on or before the next date of hearing."

The court has listed the matter for filing of the report by the Commissioner of Police, Delhi on June 8, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.

The court has directed to send the Copy of the order to The Commissioner of Police along with a copy of the application having the data through Special Messanger to avoid delay in the matter.

The court passed the order on an application filed by the SHO/Inspector Vipin Kumar police Station Delhi Cantt.

He sought the issuance of directions to Civic Agencies i.e. NHAI, PWD and Delhi Cantonment Board for the installation of CCTV Cameras at NH8, Ring Road, and Dhaula Kuan.

It was stated that NH-8, Ring Road and Dhaula Kuan loops are Road Traffic Accidental prone areas and in the absence of high-quality CCTV Cameras at the above said dark spots, most of the road traffic accident cases remain unsolved.

He also furnished the data of the number of accidental cases which has remained unsolved due to aforesaid reason and on perusal of data.

"Out of 35 fatal accident cases, 21 remained unsolved in 2022 besides other unsolved accidental cases," the court noted in the order passed on May 8.