Ahead of Independence Day, face recognition cameras set up at Red Fort to identify terrorists

With the Independence Day celebrations just three days away, security agencies are leaving no stone unturned to ensure safety across the country. Meanwhile, a number of face recognition cameras are reportedly positioned to map every nook and corner of the iconic Red Fort, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation from, on Thursday, August 15.

According to sources, the security cameras teamed up with innovative 'alarm' feature will send siren sounds in case any suspicious movement or presence of terrorists are being detected in and around the fort. The cameras will identify faces in the crowd and match them to available photographs of terrorists and criminal elements in the Delhi Police database.

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Earlier in January, the Delhi Police on the occasion of Republic Day installed 30 face recognition cameras at specific locations of Rajpath. It was the first time that such technologies were used to detect suspicious movements in a gathering.

Apart from face recognition cameras, multilayer security, anti-aircraft guns, light machine guns and bunkers have been deployed at key points in view of intelligence inputs of terror threats amid escalated tension with neighbouring Pakistan.

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Moreover, elaborate traffic arrangements and restrictions will be also in place for smooth conduct of the Independence Day Parade. The advisory issued by the Delhi Traffic Police will also ensure safe and smooth flow of vehicles across the national capital. A full dress rehearsal is scheduled on Tuesday and will follow the same route and traffic advisory as that of the Parade on Independence Day.

India's move on Article 370 of the Constitution, scrapping the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcating the state into two Union Territories, has worsened the already-heightened tension between the two countries.

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The move also followed a high alert in the Delhi metro network to ensure safety in the mass-rapid rail network that runs across the National Capital Region. Additional CISF troops, counter-terror reaction teams and security gadgets have been inducted to ensure that passengers face the least hassles while getting frisked and that any emergency situation is responded too quickly.

About 28 lakh commuters use over 220 stations of the Delhi Metro Rail Network (DMRC) daily to reach destinations in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad and Gurgaon.