How IndoAI Helped Municipal Corporation Make Public Spaces Safer, Cleaner, and Smarter with AI-Powered Cameras
Municipal Corporation governs a bustling tier-2 city with over 9 lakh residents. While the city was growing rapidly, its public infrastructure — particularly safety and sanitation — was under stress. Incidents of theft, harassment, and illegal garbage dumping were on the rise, and traditional CCTV setups were proving ineffective.
The corporation wanted to move beyond passive video recording to real-time, AI-powered detection — one that could alert teams before things went wrong.
“We had cameras, yes. But what we needed was visibility. Real, usable visibility. Not footage we checked after a complaint.”
The Problem
Despite years of investment in legacy surveillance, key gaps remained:
- Chain snatching and purse thefts in markets and near religious sites
- Pickpocketing and loitering in bus stops and pedestrian underpasses
- Harassment of women, especially in parks and low-visibility areas
- Illegal garbage dumping, often in early morning hours or behind shops
- Security teams overloaded with feeds from 200+ cameras and no alert prioritization
- Citizens lacked a simple way to call for help in moments of fear or distress
How They Found Us
IndoAI was discovered during a Smart City Expo, where our demo on gesture-based distress detection and illegal dumping recognition caught the attention of the Municipal IT Cell.
A live walkthrough of our capabilities — including real-time behavior detection, automatic event alerts, and camera-based sanitation compliance tracking — led to approval for a pilot deployment across high-footfall and high-risk zones.
Our Approach
With the Municipal Smart Surveillance Taskforce, we mapped and prioritized 14 high-impact zones:
- 4 markets and shopping areas
- 3 major bus terminals
- 2 public parks
- 2 gated residential colonies
- 3 religious gathering hotspots
In each location, we installed fluorescent yellow IndoAI Edge Cameras — a deliberate choice to ensure high visibility and deterrence. These bright yellow cameras acted as both a visual safety marker and a silent deterrent, reducing crime by mere presence.
Public Awareness & Distress Gesture Campaign
Under every installed camera, IndoAI and the city placed eye-level posters teaching citizens how to silently call for help using a visual distress gesture:
- Citizens were instructed to cross arms tightly on the chest and hold for 3 seconds while facing the camera
- A 10-second video clip was immediately sent to the control center
- If not acknowledged within 2 minutes, the system escalated the alert to the ward security team
The posters read:
“This is a Smart Safety Zone. In distress? Make the sign. Help will reach you.”
This campaign became a quiet revolution — especially for women, children, and senior citizens unable to call or shout in unsafe situations.
New Addition: Illegal Garbage Dumping Detection
As part of the sanitation mission, we configured IndoAI cameras to detect garbage being dumped in unauthorized areas, especially early morning or late-night hours.
The system flagged events where:
- Individuals dumped sacks or loose waste in non-designated corners
- Shops or carts left plastic or food waste after hours
- Garbage was thrown in drains or temple back alleys
Alerts were automatically pushed to the ward sanitation officer with timestamped snapshots and location.
In some locations, repeat offenders were tracked using IndoAI’s person re-identification system, leading to fines and public notices.
“The day we received a photo of illegal dumping at 4:30 AM — with the exact face of the guy doing it — I knew this system worked.”
Key Use Cases Activated
- Distress gesture detection for real-time emergency help
- Loitering and behavioral alerts near ATMs, markets, and women’s washrooms
- Chain snatching and theft tracking, with cross-zone suspect movement analysis
- Live tracking of pickpockets and stalkers, with instant video alerts
- Illegal garbage dumping detection, mapped by time and location
- 24x7 public zone monitoring, with no need for human guards
- Automatic alert escalation to police, ward officers, or sanitation teams
Challenges We Faced
- Poor lighting in older zones like bus terminals was handled with IndoAI’s low-light mode
- Privacy concerns were addressed by limiting face capture to flagged events only
- Inter-department coordination was streamlined by integrating IndoAI alerts into existing WhatsApp groups and municipal apps
- For sanitation, zone tagging and smart scheduling helped match alerts to right officers
Timeline
- Day 0: Live demo and use-case alignment
- Day 4: Site survey and deployment blueprint
- Day 9: Fluorescent yellow camera installation completed
- Day 11: Distress gesture posters and dumping detection zones activated
- Day 12: Alert routes configured to security and sanitation dashboards
- Day 14: Full IndoAI system live with real-time alerts and smart zone monitoring
Real Benefits
In the first 30 days:
- Chain snatching reduced by 70% in 4 market zones
- Two real distress gestures by women were identified and responded to in under 5 minutes
- Illegal dumping dropped by 60% across flagged localities — with 14 violators identified
- Security monitoring time was cut in half, as staff no longer watched hours of uneventful footage
- Community trust increased, especially among women, senior citizens, and shopkeepers
“What impressed us wasn’t just the cameras — it was how visible they were, how smartly they responded, and how quietly they changed behavior.”
Conclusion
Municipal Corporation didn’t just install cameras — it installed confidence. With IndoAI, the city moved toward a model of intelligent, real-time urban management where citizens feel protected, wrongdoers are deterred, and public spaces are respected.
From distress gestures to garbage detection, this deployment showed that AI can power cleaner, safer, more responsive cities — without increasing manpower or cost.
If your city is looking to move from passive surveillance to proactive urban intelligence, IndoAI is the partner you need.
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Book a free demo or site assessment now and discover how IndoAI can help your Municipal Corporation become smarter and safer.