Boozers beware: Maharashtra orders sophisticated surveillance of 'watering holes'

Mumbai, Oct 16 (IANS) No hics! Soon, any customer hopping into a licensed bar/pub in any establishment in Maharashtra would be subjected to a full, sophisticated Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI-ML) based scrutiny of his getaway to the watering hole, as per a recent state order.

In an unprecedented move loaded with ramifications, the Maharashtra government has decreed that all such authorised establishments – barring the defence units – shall install a high-tech AI-ML-based CCTV system at the entrance as per the state’s detailed specifications and procedures.

This round-the-clock system would transmit the real-time data to a Command and Control Centre (C&CC) that will be set up by the Commissioner of State Excise at its offices, while the establishments shall be required to provide adequate space for the equipment, a stable broadband wired Internet of minimum 10Mbps and uninterrupted power supply.

The State Excise Commissionerate will receive the feeds/alerts from each licensed premises to its C&CC to oversee and monitor the entire system – which a perturbed pub owner in Mumbai described as "Big Brother watching over us always".

Mandatory for all such businesses falling within the jurisdiction of any Municipal Corporation area or the Commissioner of Police's jurisdiction, the order came just four days before the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the state Assembly elections of November.

The advanced system would use AI-ML algorithms to analyse video footage in real-time to detect and recognize objects, faces, behavior, providing enhanced security and monitoring capabilities and send alerts for user-defined activities.

Nagpur-based legal eagle and Grahak Bharati President Barrister Vinod Tiwari said that the entire policy raises many doubts on its real intentions, coming hurriedly before the elections without any public debate.

"Experts estimate that installing such a system could cost hundreds of crores of rupees, which the bar/pub owners would bill to the customers and the state will recover it from the tax-payers. It might even lead to closure of many establishments as customers would avoid such 'Gestapo-style' surveillance on their relaxation outings, with family or friends," Tiwari told IANS.

The entire system and components with technical specifications would consist of: IP-based CCTV cameras with 5MP resolution; Network Video Recorder; Network Switch; Display; UPS; and an AI-ML based Edge device with Raven-AI, as per the order.

The minimum technical requirements include: real-time detection of the customer’s face, age, establishment opening/closing time tracking, tampering with any CCTVs, a mobile-based App, all-round compatibility with all cameras available in the market, 24x7 recording in HD with record, backup and playback functions, at least a 2 TB storage HDD, high-resolution recording through IP Dome/Bullet cameras, etc.

Maharashtra has around 20,000 licensed liquor vendors, including shops, bars and restaurants, sprawling from the neighbourhood watering holes to the posh five-star hotels, clubs, social organisations, etc., which collectively coughed out over Rs 23,000 crore revenue to enrich the state coffers in 2023.

A Mumbai hotelier said that most establishments already have CCTVs on their premises, some have multiple venues in the same premises, and the new stipulated system could entail huge capital and revenue costs or drive away customers to shady outlets, adding to the woes of the hospitality sector, though there are no official reactions.

Issued by the Home Department's Deputy Secretary Ravindra Aute on October 11, the notification under the Maharashtra Prohibition Act, 1949, is a glassful, called: 'Maharashtra Installation of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) System Based on the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) At The Licensed Premises Order, 2024'.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: qnajmi@gmail.com)

--IANS

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