BANGALORE: Recent terror strikes on busy streets --- be it Connuaght Place in New Delhi or Dilsukhnagar in Hyderabad --- have sharpened the focus on security at markets.

Russell Market traders, who have rebuilt the market after a fire gutted part of the landmark structure, have now sanitized their marketplace against terror strikes by installing high definition CCTV cameras.

The first lot of eight cameras was installed on Sunday afternoon. The traders have already placed an order for 21 more cameras and gradually the number will be increased to 40. Not just that, within a week, a direct feed from all the CCTVs in the market will be available at the Shivajinagar police station for monitoring the situation in the crowded market area.

The cameras were installed on the outer perimeter of the market, covering all the entry and exit points. "This is just the beginning. Every section of the market area will have four cameras each and it will be linked to a control room, apart from the individual screens provided for the traders to monitor their premises," said Mohammed Idrees Choudhury, general secretary, Russell Market.

CCTV footage up to 15 days will be stored in a hard drive located in the market premises and copies of these visuals will be made twice a month for record purposes. "Also we will create a direct link to the Shivajinagar police station and police will be given an IP address through which they can monitor the situation at the market," said Akmal Pasha, Meltech computers and security system..

Though the CCTV cameras are in place, the traders regret that the entire market is still running on generators. On January 31, the BBMP council has passed the resolution restoring the electricity and water connections to Russell Market; however, the supply is yet to start.