PMC to install CCTVs at crematoria, allocates

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will install closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at crematoria and plans to spend over ₹40 lakh to improve its safety measures.
PMC manages more than 28 crematoria where around 100 to 150 deaths are recorded every day. The civic body has received public complaints of these sacred spaces turning into hotspots for illegal activities. Residents and officials have expressed concerns over thefts, with reports of light bulbs and other essential materials stolen from the premises. PMC has allocated ₹42.37 lakh for installation of CCTV surveillance system covering all crematoria.
The CCTV system will feature a comprehensive setup of 1,363 cameras, including 1,068 fixed box cameras for general monitoring, 217 pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras for detailed surveillance, and 78 automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras to cover vehicular movement.
PMC has floated a tender on Saturday for installation of CCTVs at Bopodi, Aundh, Baner, Balewadi, Pashan, Sutarwadi, Someshwarwadi, Mhalunge, Sus, Kothrud, Bavdhan, Sangamwadi, Dhankawdi, Wadgaon, Uttamnagar, Shivane, Warje, Narhe, Mundhwa, Hadapsar, Katraj, Kondhwa, Wanowrie, Ganganagar-Phursungi, Vaikunth and Bibvewadi.
Manisha Shekatkar, chief superintendent, PMC electricity department, said, “As crematoria are PMC property, it is our duty to protect it. The initiative will safeguard public spaces and tackle issues of misuse and vandalism.”
Past cases
In May 2024, residents of Shewalewadi had demanded 24×7 security measures after they alleged of fans and tubelights being stolen from the crematorium, besides illicit activities such as alcohol consumption reported at the premises.
In February 2016, anti-terrorism squad (ATS) of police arrested murder suspect Anant Jori near Alka Talkies. He used to sleep on the premises of the Vaikunth crematorium at night and spend the day with roadside vendors at Tilak Chowk.