The Bengal government has decided to install 535 more CCTV cameras at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital to strengthen surveillance after the rape and murder of the junior doctor on the premises of the facility on August 9, prompting questions about whether the action was too little, too late.

“A total of 535 additional CCTV cameras will soon be installed in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital as it was felt that more cameras would be required to upgrade the surveillance system on the premises. The additional cameras would make the doctors and nurses of the hospital feel secure,” said a senior government official.

The hospital has 141 CCTV cameras at present.

A section of bureaucrats asked why the government hadn’t initiated steps earlier to secure the hospital premises.

If it is found that the existing 141 CCTV cameras are not sufficient to secure the hospital premises and 535 more cameras are needed, questions would be raised as to why the steps were not initiated earlier, said sources.

“With the initiative to install 535 CCTV cameras on the hospital premises, it is clear that the authorities never took the security issue seriously. Questions would be raised as to why the important issue was neglected so far when the government spent handsomely to beautify hospitals by installing huge gates,” said a senior bureaucrat.

Sources said not only the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, but almost all medical colleges and important state-run healthcare establishments also lack proper CCTV coverage.

“According to data available, only the JNM Medical College and Hospital in Kalyani has more than 500 CCTV cameras on its premises. None of the other medical colleges and hospitals has proper CCTV coverage,” said a senior official.

The need for CCTV coverage in medical colleges or prominent institutions appears to be important as the CBI, which is investigating the doctor’s murder, was facing trouble in finding out who else entered the seminar room of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital where the body was found.

There was only one CCTV camera in the corridor of the third floor, where the seminar room is situated. Based on the footage of the camera, the prime accused, Sanjay Roy, was arrested.

“But it is not clear whether any other person had entered the seminar room that night as no camera covered the entrance to the place of occurrence,” said a source.

Sources said the authorities were never serious about installing CCTV cameras on the hospital premises in a professional way. However, the approach of the authorities appears to be changing after the RG Kar incident.

“At Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, some CCTV cameras were damaged after a fire broke out. It was found that the CCTV connections were drawn along with power lines. This makes it clear that the entire system was handled in an unprofessional way,” said a source.

After the doctor’s murder, almost all medical colleges were sending requisitions to install more CCTV cameras on their premises.

“Almost all colleges want to install 400 to 600 additional cameras, while their existing number of cameras varies between 100 and 150. So many cameras cannot be installed overnight. We will install them on a priority basis,” said an official.

The government has also decided to put up display boards mentioning state and central laws for healthcare workers’ protection, along with penalty details, in various parts of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

“This would remind people that they could be booked under stern sections if they attack doctors or nurses. This would help the state earn the confidence of the doctors and other staff in the hospitals,” said a source.