kolkata over 1300 cctv cameras set up by the traffic police are back in operation across the city after being shut down for 48 hours for server maintenance the police said they were now better equipped to handle not only traffic violations but also tackle lawandorder issues and detect crimes the cctv cameras themselves have also been cleaned across all 25 traffic guards so that the footage captured is clearer the server maintenance was long pending and we are happy with the results said an officer at lalbazartimesviewthis will help cops in probes and lawandorder solutions use of technology and more importantly the right technology is increasingly important in detecting crime and aiding prosecutionpolice sources claimed that video feed from roads will now be easier to store and realtime reactions will become faster we have long realized that technology is the way forward at a time when we are short of manpower the present upgrade has been carried out keeping the presentday challenges in mind said an ips officerthe officers on the ground sergeants and traffic constables said the biggest challenge so far has been identifying vehicles from grainy footage while maintaining the cctvs is our duty augmenting the server capacity will help with storing and analysing footage of events and accidents and also traffic pressure at the crossings said an officer from the beliaghata traffic guardthe police claim that such cameras would help in reading number plates clearly even during peak traffic hours unless a number plate can be read clearly challenging of traffic challans will continue similarly the cops can build a bank of realtime footage of violators who can be better prosecuted we will ensure that almost all challans that we send through sms will have adequate cctv footage as evidence said an ips officerbut there is also another reason cops are looking to use the cctv cameras to solve the lawandorder problemat present there are 2megapixel cameras installed at most of the crucial intersections but officers of the citys traffic police realized that video footage of better quality are required for better detection of crime and to keep a watch on a situation that may lead to lawandorder trouble as a result steps have been taken to replace the existing ones with 5megapixel cameras the upgrade process has already begun police sources maintained that ideally they want cctv cameras to be able to read the number plates even at night the most important idea is to create a deterrent that will stop criminals from carrying out the crimes an officer saidthe cops cite the example of behala located in the southern fringes of the city cctv camera was an alien concept here until it was included in the kolkata police jurisdiction the local police have now set up 35 sets of cctv cameras besides one at almost every crossing set up by the traffic police we are approaching individuals and traders establishments who have cctv cameras at their establishments so that they can