Barsana and Govardhan in first phase; Baldeo and Shani Dev Temple area of Kosi Kalan to follow
Vrindavan Today | Bureau Report
8th August, 2026, Mathura: Security at some of Braj’s major religious and rural tourism destinations is set to receive a major technological upgrade, with the Mathura Police planning an extensive CCTV surveillance network covering Barsana, Govardhan, Baldeo and the Shani Dev Temple area of Kosi Kalan.
Under the proposed project, around 1,000 CCTV cameras will be installed in each of the four identified areas. The project will be implemented in two phases, with Govardhan and Barsana covered in the first phase, followed by Baldeo and the Shani Dev Temple area of Kosi Kalan in the second phase.
The cameras will be monitored 24 hours a day from modern control rooms to be established at the respective police stations. Trained police personnel will keep a live watch on the camera feeds and respond promptly to suspicious activities, criminal incidents and law-and-order situations.
High-tech surveillance for rural pilgrimage destinations
The initiative has been planned by Mathura SSP Shlok Kumar to strengthen security at important rural pilgrimage and tourism centres across Braj.
Mathura city already has an Integrated Traffic Management System (ITMS) for surveillance and traffic management. The police now intend to develop a similar high-tech monitoring mechanism for rural areas that attract large numbers of pilgrims and tourists.
Braj’s religious destinations receive millions of visitors every year from different parts of India and abroad. With increasing footfall, effective crowd and security management has become an important requirement.
The proposed CCTV network is expected to help police monitor large gatherings, regulate traffic and respond quickly during emergencies.
Focus on theft, pickpocketing and harassment
The extensive surveillance system is also expected to help curb theft, pickpocketing, harassment and other criminal activities at pilgrimage centres.
Apart from preventing crime, CCTV footage will assist police in identifying suspects and collecting evidence in the event of an incident.
Round-the-clock monitoring is expected to improve the sense of security among devotees and tourists and contribute to the further development of religious and rural tourism in Braj.
Govardhan and Barsana first in line
The first phase focuses on Govardhan and Barsana, where large numbers of devotees arrive every day.
According to the police, installation work in both religious centres is already progressing rapidly. Once the systems are fully operational, the respective police-station control rooms will provide continuous live monitoring.
The second phase will cover Baldeo and the Shani Dev Temple area of Kosi Kalan. Work on this phase will begin after the required budget is approved.
The CCTV infrastructure will also make it easier for the police to manage crowd movement, traffic congestion and emergency situations.
24-hour surveillance will help control crime
Mathura SSP Shlok Kumar said the new system would substantially strengthen security at rural tourism destinations.
“Rural tourism destinations will have stronger security with the installation of CCTV cameras. Round-the-clock surveillance will help in effectively controlling crime. The second phase of the project will also be started as soon as the budget is approved,” the SSP said.
The initiative is expected to create a technology-enabled security network across some of Braj’s busiest pilgrimage destinations, combining crime prevention, crowd management, traffic regulation and emergency response under continuous police surveillance.
For a region that witnesses an enormous flow of pilgrims and tourists throughout the year, the project could become an important component of Braj’s evolving tourism and public-safety infrastructure.
