Kolkata, Nov. 10 -- Accessing crime records and other essential police information could become quicker and more reliable, with the West Bengal government planning to connect 168 police stations and offices under Kolkata Police (KP) through a common digital network linked to Lalbazar.
Sources said a tender has been floated by Webel which proposes a network upgrade to address frequent connectivity problems faced by police offices. The system will also allow Lalbazar to monitor the network and respond to technical failures.
At present, most Kolkata Police offices depend largely on local broadband connections, along with an existing government network. It was learnt that internet connectivity is inadequate and unreliable at many locations, affecting access to the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) and other police applications hosted at the State Data Centre and National Data Centre.
The proposed system is expected to reduce interruptions and help police personnel access crime records and other applications without repeated connectivity problems. The network will also have additional security measures to protect information and prevent unauthorised access.
The Police Directorate is separately planning to provide a faster, dedicated internet connection to all 168 locations through the state network. This proposal, being taken up in consultation with the state's IT and Electronics Department, is still subject to approval by the competent authorities.
The project will first be tested at the State Data Centre, Lalbazar headquarters and 20 police stations or offices. The remaining locations will be covered after the pilot phase is successfully completed. Lalbazar will house the central monitoring facility, backed by round-the-clock technical support.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.