Hyderabad: The closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras that were installed at border check posts in order to curb corruption among the Road Transport Authority (RTA) staff are either out of order or redundant due to improper placement.
An official from the transport department says that the government has provided the necessary infrastructure, including CCTV cameras with a 30-day backup facility, to control corruption.
“After the Chief Minister’s announcement of a toll-free number for the filing of complaints regarding corruption, tru-ck drivers began filing complaints against the department. And after the conduction of inquiries, the government sanctio-ned funds for the procurement of CCTV systems. We have set up four cameras at every major check post. However, we are unable to find back-ups from any check posts ex-cept Alampur, where regular VIP movement is witnessed,” the official says.
K. Yadaiah, a truck driver from Rajendranagar, says that though the department has installed CCTV cameras, they have been ineffective at controlling corruption because they have not been placed at the locations where RTA officials check vehicles.
“At the Zahirabad check post, the cameras are installed atop a high mast poll, but the RTA booths impede them from recording relevant footage. During the night, lights in the area don’t work, which is another boon for the staff. Similar situations exist at the check posts in Vadapally, Koadad, Kha-mmam and Kamareddy. The RTA staff say that a majority of the cameras are not working,” he says.
Though cameras have been set up by the government, they are not being maintained. “At a few check posts, the staff claim that rats have damaged the camera cables. The IT Wing of the RTA is yet to replace these cables. Similarly, power backup systems are under repair at a few check posts, because of which the cameras do not work all the time,” says a source from the Transport Department.
