Katra, June 9 : Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today inaugurated the CCTV Surveillance System with Integrated Command & Control Centre (ICCC) for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, introducing a significant upgrade in security, emergency response, and crowd management infrastructure.
“This cutting-edge technology will ensure real-time monitoring, safety, and a hassle-free pilgrimage for devotees,” the Lieutenant Governor said during the launch.
The project includes a central ICCC at Katra and seven Sub-Control Centres along the yatra route to enable 24×7 monitoring of all critical and high-traffic zones. Over 700 cameras have been deployed, including 170 new high-definition IP cameras and the integration of more than 500 existing ones. These cover entry and exit points, congregation areas, and the entire pilgrimage track.
The surveillance system features AI-powered tools such as facial recognition, gesture recognition, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), intrusion detection, and crowd management analytics, enhancing situational awareness and response capabilities.
Anshul Garg, CEO of the Shrine Board, presented the technical aspects of the system and its benefits. He said the system is capable of generating automated alerts for crowd build-up, route blockages, landslides, and other emergencies, allowing authorities to respond swiftly and efficiently.
The Lieutenant Governor interacted with engineers and operational staff and stressed the importance of continuous training and close coordination with police and emergency services to ensure optimal functioning of the command centre.
To further enhance physical security, the Shrine Board has recently provided agencies with X-ray baggage scanners, metal detectors, handheld scanners, and under-vehicle search equipment. These upgrades followed a joint security review conducted last year.
The event was attended by Board Member Ashok Bhan, IGP Jammu Bhim Sen Tuti, Deputy Commissioner Reasi Nidhi Malik, and other senior officials from police, security forces, and the Shrine Board.
