Lucknow, Feb 9 : In a first, Lucknow will get artificial intelligence-enabled camera surveillance for the safety of citizens.

A total of 1,000 AI cameras equipped with face recognition technology have been installed at key locations across the city.

Municipal Commissioner and CEO of Smart City Lucknow, Inderjit Singh, said: "As part of the Safe City project, these CCTV cameras have been placed strategically and will capture suspicious movement of persons by scanning faces against police database and alert control rooms in case of any criminal activity."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate this hi-tech facility when he will be in the city for the groundbreaking ceremony of GIS projects on February 19.

He will also inaugurate over 100 streetlights installed along the Shaheed Path and the Ahana Enclave in Aashiana.

Until now, 53 crossings in Lucknow have been covered with integrated traffic management system (ITMS) to streamline traffic and catch traffic violators, said Singh.

The AI cameras will also help in keeping the city clean.

"This new initiative promises a safer urban environment. Alerts will also be sent for open dumping. These cameras have been placed at locations like public gathering places, big crossings, colleges, hostels, and commercial hubs.

"Additional installations are planned in other city areas, integrated with the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS). The cameras will aid in identifying individuals, using centralised data, and ensuring a swift response to potential threats," he said.

To store records from the AI-powered cameras, a server room has been established under the Safe City office in the Lalbagh area of Lucknow.

Equipped with PTZ (pantilt-zoom) and fixed cameras, along with 238 ITMS surveillance cameras, this system will assist the police in investigating incidents. The project, which took 19 months to complete and cost Rs 96 crore, also includes AI cameras and panic buttons in 165 city buses, enhancing safety for the commuters.

Singh said besides crime prevention, the AI cameras will monitor various aspects like identifying individuals outside schools and colleges, tracking released prisoners, and responding to emergencies signalled through panic buttons.

"Help hotlines and helplines will be integrated with the AI system, ensuring a more connected and responsive security network for the city. It will transform the city's security landscape. We are also trying to rope in the community, including businesses and organisations, who have IP-based cameras to actively participate in this initiative," Singh said.

/IANS