Prayagraj: In a progressive step to enhance city cleanliness and surveillance, Prayagraj Municipal Corporation has launched a trial to use artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor city lanes after successful use of AI surveillance on major roads. The purpose of this test is to expand advanced surveillance systems that cover cleanliness, street lighting, intrusions and illegal dairy activities on narrow streets in cities. Currently, the Corporation is equipped with Quick Response Team (QRT) vehicles with cameras and GPS devices to carry out lane monitoring along major roads. These cameras capture real-time data. Real-time data is analyzed with the help of AI to quickly identify cleanliness issues, invasions and other violations.Once the trial phase is successful, the plan is to equip all garbage collection vehicles covering city lanes and residential areas with similar cameras and GPS technology. This allows for modern and comprehensive monitoring of almost every lane in the city. Deputy Mayor Deep Shikha Pandee explained that AI-based surveillance of major roads has resulted in positive results. “Based on this success, we intend to replicate the lane model. AI surveillance will help improve lane cleanliness, enable immediate reporting of debris and infringements, and support prompt corrective action,” she said. The AI Surveillance initiative is expected to have a positive impact on Prayagraj's rankings in the upcoming Swachh Survekshan (cleanness survey).Prayagraj was the first city in Uttar Pradesh and implemented AI technology to monitor major roads. This is a pioneering move that is now expanding into a more complex network of city lanes. In another major development, the municipal corporation recently completed a comprehensive survey of buildings that exceeded Rs 172 lakh to the city's expanded limits. The survey reveals that over 80,000 buildings still lack the smallest urban amenities, highlighting the uneven spread of the city's infrastructure.The company's tax department has decided to issue property tax notices for this fiscal year only to the owners of buildings that receive basic urban facilities. A thorough cross-check was performed prior to sending these notifications to verify the city facilities of extended restrictions. This exercise revealed many areas still primarily rural, with minimal or no local government services present. Chief Tax Assessment Officer PK Mishra highlighted the challenges, saying that it is unfair to collect property taxes on residents in areas where urban facilities do not exist. According to Mishra, the approximately 8,000 buildings identified as part of the developed region have already been subject to property tax collection from 2024-25 onwards.
