The Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC) in Thane district, Maharashtra, has taken a significant step towards enhancing student safety by launching a new ‘Central School Control Room’. This initiative, inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on September 5, is designed to monitor CCTV footage across all municipal schools, aiming to prevent and deter any potential threats to student well-being.
The control room, located at the Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar Auditorium in Mira Bhayander, is equipped with advanced technology and a UPS generator backup, ensuring continuous operation. It is capable of monitoring nearly 1,000 CCTV cameras, initially focusing on the 200 cameras installed in 36 municipal schools, which cater to approximately 10,000 students.
The decision to establish the control room stems from a disturbing incident last month where two four-year-old girls were allegedly sexually assaulted by a male attendant in the washroom of a school in the Badlapur area. This tragic event highlighted the urgent need for proactive security measures in educational institutions.
The MBMC’s initiative promises to address security concerns proactively, providing a secure learning environment for students, parents, and school staff. The control room will enable real-time monitoring of school premises, allowing authorities to quickly respond to any suspicious activity or emergency situations.
Beyond municipal schools, the initiative aims to include private institutions in the future, expanding its scope to encompass a wider range of educational establishments. This comprehensive approach aims to establish a robust security network across the entire district, ensuring the safety and well-being of all students.
During the inauguration, Chief Minister Shinde stressed the importance of providing a secure environment for students, emphasizing the crucial role of real-time CCTV surveillance in deterring wrongful activities. He called upon other municipal corporations to adopt the MBMC’s model, setting a higher standard for educational safety across Maharashtra.
Shinde also highlighted the state’s commitment to student safety through stringent regulations and the ‘Shakti’ law, aimed at strengthening measures against crimes targeting women and children. He encouraged schools to conduct thorough background checks of their staff and install complaint boxes to facilitate reporting of grievances, ensuring a transparent and accountable environment.
The launch of the Central School Control Room represents a significant step towards creating a safer and more secure learning environment for students in Mira Bhayander. This initiative, coupled with the state’s commitment to student safety and the ongoing efforts to enhance security measures, demonstrates a proactive approach to safeguarding the well-being of children in educational institutions.
