Mumbai’s traffic police are preparing to replace their existing body-worn cameras after repeated complaints that the devices shut down within minutes of being switched on. The planned upgrade is aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability and enforcement for nearly 3,000 traffic personnel deployed daily across the city’s roads.
At present, the Mumbai Traffic Police use around 1,800 body cameras, many of which have become unreliable due to persistent battery issues. Though the devices claim to offer up to 14 hours of standby time and nearly 10 hours of continuous recording, officers say actual performance often falls far short. Several cameras reportedly function for barely 15 to 20 minutes before shutting down completely, undermining their usefulness during long duty hours.
With about 3,000 traffic policemen working in two shifts every day, faulty cameras have increasingly affected enforcement and real-time monitoring. The issue was recently discussed at a meeting of senior police officials, where a proposal to procure new, more advanced body-worn cameras was approved. The police department has confirmed that upgraded models with improved battery backup and enhanced features will be introduced soon.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has also announced that traffic personnel will be equipped with advanced body-worn cameras, signalling a push to modernise traffic enforcement systems in the city.
Currently used cameras, manufactured by Sanchar, offer features such as audio and video recording, 36-megapixel photographs, night vision, GPS tracking, Wi-Fi connectivity, digital display and one-touch recording. They come with 128 GB internal storage, 5 GB external storage and a 4,000 mAh battery, and are capable of sending live audio, video and images to the traffic police control room.
Despite these specifications, battery drain remains the biggest concern. Camera numbers have gradually increased from 1,388 units in 2021 to 1,600 in 2023–24, and about 1,800 currently in use.
Internationally, cities in the US, UK, Australia and Canada widely use Axon cameras, which studies have linked to fewer complaints and assaults on officers. European and Asian cities rely on brands such as Motorola Solutions and Edesix, known for high-quality video, live streaming and secure, tamper-proof data storage—benchmarks Mumbai now appears keen to match.
Source: Mid-day
