Special software detects illegal construction

SOMEONE'S WATCHING YOU: You may be caugh on camera if you construct your house illegally.

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New Delhi: If you are planning to add a new balcony or some extra walls to your house without seeking the appropriate clearance, chances are that you'll be caught on camera. The government has commissioned a new system to monitor such activities.

This tracking system developed by the Science and Technology Ministry combines specially designed software with weather-proof night vision-enabled cameras to help the Delhi government keep an eye on its city.

Technology will be able to detect any illegal construction in the Capital. “As a matter of fact, humans lie, however, technology does not,” says Kapil Sibal, MOS, Science and Technology.

For starters, every building, road and lane in Old Delhi has been mapped to create a database. As soon the software registers an unauthorised construction using its live camera feed, authorities are alerted.

"Since this area is so congested, it is really difficult to track illegal construction, however, with this system giving us live feed of the area, we are able to monitor it better," says Vijay Singh, Commisioner, MCD.

Four cameras have already been installed at prominent locations and four more are on their way. The Ministry hopes the software will be used to check water, gas and electricity wastage and theft, manage traffic and even monitor infrastructure development for the Commonwealth Games in 2010. The software can even be used to supplement security in public places.

"If this system would have been in place, we would have been able to find out who planted the bomb in Jama Masjid and when," says Iqbal Bhat, Project Director.

This technology has tremendous potential in the areas of urban development and security, however, it will have to answer questions on ethics and right to privacy.