Chandigarh, Dec 31 (NationPress) The Punjab Police is set to implement a second line of defence along the India–Pakistan border, featuring the installation of 2,367 CCTV cameras across 585 crucial locations, with a projected budget of Rs 49.58 crore, announced Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Wednesday.

In a media briefing, the DGP explained that this initiative is part of a comprehensive, technology-driven security enhancement scheme aimed at bolstering border monitoring and internal safety. He mentioned that the fleet of Anti-Drone Systems (ADS) will be increased from the current three operational systems to nine soon, with six systems currently being procured and an additional ten planned for future phases.

Teams to respond to drone incidents have been activated and will be further reinforced next year through improved collaboration with members of the Village Defence Committees (VDC), he stated.

Detailing a technology-focused “Vision 2026” for Punjab Police, Yadav highlighted that the force is concentrating on a complete upgrade of infrastructure and capabilities. A significant part of this initiative will involve the modernization of the Dial 112 emergency response system.

A dedicated control room for Dial 112 will be constructed in Mohali at an investment of Rs 52 crore, while the vehicle fleet will expand with an additional Rs 50 crore investment. The goal is to decrease the current average response time from 12–13 minutes to approximately seven to eight minutes.

At the same time, district-level control rooms are being enhanced at a cost of Rs 25 crore to facilitate improved coordination and ensure swifter incident management, which directly contributes to the target of reduced response times.

On police modernization, the DGP noted that the state government has allocated over Rs 800 crore for upgrading the police force in the past three years. All Superintendent of Police-rank officers on field duty have been issued new vehicles, and police stations throughout the state have also been upgraded with additional vehicles.

He mentioned that the government has sanctioned a comprehensive police infrastructure project worth Rs 426 crore to be executed over the next three years. This encompasses a new headquarters for the Cyber Crime Division at Phase IV in Mohali, new police lines in Nawanshahr and Malerkotla districts, and the construction of 11 new police station buildings.

Furthermore, new Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) range offices will be established in Ludhiana, Ferozepur, and Jalandhar, while existing ANTF units will receive upgrades with modern equipment and forensic tools.

Regarding the implementation of new criminal laws, Yadav noted that a witness protection scheme has already been enacted by the government, which aims to enhance conviction rates.

He also mentioned that network connectivity at police stations will be upgraded from the current 50 Mbps to 100 Mbps, contingent on workload and operational needs.