The closed-circuit cameras that were to be installed in Sector V after the Bangalore and Ahmedabad blasts are lying idle with the tech hub administrative authority.

In a knee-jerk reaction to the explosions, the Nabadiganta Industrial Township Authority had announced on July 28 that 10 security cameras would be installed within 10 days in various parts of Sector V. It, however, did not apply for Internet and power connections and hence cannot use the cameras now.

“We have imported the cameras. Their installation is getting delayed because of snags,” said S.A. Ahmed, the chairman of Nabadiganta Industrial Township Authority (NDITA).

Six cameras were bought about three weeks ago for Rs 225,000 each. Five IT firms paid for the cameras. The NDITA was to apply to BSNL and West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd for Internet and power connections, respectively.

“We forgot that Internet access and power are needed to use the cameras. We realised our mistake after receiving the cameras. BSNL has given us a quotation and power company officials have inspected the points where the cameras will be installed,” said Subhas Bose, the officer on special duty (technical) of the NDITA.

BSNL has asked for Rs 400,000 for uninterrupted Internet connection to the cameras for a year. “We are negotiating the amount,” added Bose.

Ahmed said installation of the cameras have been delayed by “various inspection procedures of the power utility and other technical issues”. The cameras should start rolling by the “first week of September”. The number of cameras may be increased in future.

According to the NDITA, the six cameras will be installed at SDF junction, College More, Videocon junction, Box Bridge, outside Millennium City and near the Techno India campus. Control rooms will be set up in the NDITA office at Unnayan Bhavan and Bidhannagar North police station.

Companies in Sector V and their employees are furious over the delay in installing the cameras.

“I believe the NDITA made the announcement to deal with the panic after the blasts. Once people became less apprehensive, the authorities did not bother to complete the work,” said Ratul Sengupta, who works in Wipro BPO.

“We bought the cameras weeks back and don’t know the reason for the delay. I will talk to the authorities and ask them to install the cameras as soon as possible,” said G. Roy Chowdhury, a spokesperson for the Techno India Group, which paid for one of the cameras.