#WATCH | Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh | Varanasi Smart City PRO Shakambhari Nandan Sonthalia says, “Given the large influx of pilgrims and tourists to Varanasi, it is essential to ensure effective monitoring for the well-being of local residents… To establish a robust security perimeter, the Kashi Integrated Command and Control Centre is being operated under the Varanasi Smart City initiative. Furthermore, an advanced surveillance project has been implemented to elevate security standards and ensure end-to-end safety. Currently, over 2,500 advanced surveillance cameras are operational across approximately 800 locations in Varanasi. These cameras feature facial recognition technology and utilise Artificial Intelligence to generate alerts across various operational layers. The command centre facilitates the coordination of diverse city functions involving the police department, district administration, law enforcement teams, the Municipal Corporation, and the Development Authority… The centre supports communication with the residents of Kashi through Variable Message Displays for short messages and a Public Address System for important announcements. Various operations are being managed on a daily basis from the Kashi Integrated Command and Control Centre… Additionally, for urban planning and monitoring, there is a substantial presence of staff from the Varanasi Municipal Corporation. A dedicated cell handles grievance redressal, managing everything from the registration of complaints to their resolution. A team from the Pollution Control Board oversees air quality monitoring. Furthermore, a dedicated Municipal Corporation cell manages day-to-day operations such as traffic management and the issuance of traffic violation challans. There is also a cell to oversee solid waste management, tracking the daily attendance of sanitation workers ('Safai Mitras') and monitoring garbage collection vehicles, including details regarding fuel consumption and vehicle tracking.”