Wi-fi for new bldgs, 6,000 CCTV cameras for Mumbai

Towing the centre’s – Digital India – line, the Maharashtra government is said to be mulling over a proposal to make it compulsory for all new residential buildings to provide wi-fi connections to their residents.

The proposal forms a part of the state’s new draft housing policy but makes no mention on whether this would be applicable for existing building as well. However IT experts have warned that a password-based access system could be prone to hacking and have suggested that the government needs to authenticate wi-fi users and consider other security aspects carefully before such a proposal is implemented.

As per the rules, any specifications related to Internet connectivity and service providers have to be first separately notified by the IT department. Further the new housing policy draft also plans to implement a uniform policy across the state by rationalising issues related to right of way for both internet service providers and telecom operators.

According to informed sources in the housing department, the wi-fi proposal forms an integral part of the department’s overall agenda of improving the quality of life in the state and as such will also include measures to preserve the environment and conserve the local culture.

If implemented, developers may also be required to initiate various measures including water conservation and solar power generation at their projects. Furthermore, residential projects in the state in need of more FSI will be required to seek eco-friendly certification on the lines of the LEED certificate issued by the US-based Green Building Council.

In a related development, the state home department is also going ahead with an INR 949 crore plan to install over 6,000 CCTV security cameras in Mumbai to improve surveillance in sensitive areas spread across the city.

The project, first proposed post the horrific 26/11 attack on Mumbai during the Congress-NCP rule in the state, has been hanging fire despite bids being invited four times.  However the new BJP-led government in the state had constituted a high-powered committee to relook the project leading to a contract being inked in February this year.

Sharing the details, the additional chief secretary (home) KP Bakshi revealed that the city had been divided into two zones for the project and approx 1,400 cameras would be installed in about 437 locations chosen across central and south Mumbai by November this year.

He further added that Larsen & Toubro (L&T) had already procured a majority of the equipment including cameras and other hardware for the project and the home department hoped to install about 6,020 CCTVs by September next year.