KALYAN: A significant portion of the surveillance and public safety infrastructure installed under the Rs 120-crore Smart City project in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) area is currently non-functional, raising concerns among police officials and triggering questions over the upkeep of the technology-driven system.Data accessed by TOI indicates that 392 of the 1,065 Smart City devices installed across Kalyan and Dombivli are not operational, translating to nearly 37% of the infrastructure being out of service.Among the affected systems are 253 of the 846 CCTV cameras that form the backbone of the city’s surveillance network. More worrying is the condition of vehicle-monitoring infrastructure, with 57 of the 84 Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras and 27 of the 36 Exit Number Plate Recognition (NPR) cameras reportedly non-functional.The problem extends beyond surveillance. Of the 45 Variable Message Display (VMD) boards installed to relay traffic updates, weather alerts and public information, 22 have stopped working. Similarly, 17 of the 28 public announcement systems meant for emergency communication are non-operational. Sources also claimed that 16 of the 26 Emergency Call Box units are currently defunct.Police officials, who rely heavily on the Smart City network for crime detection and monitoring law and order, have repeatedly requested the civic administration to restore the systems.A senior police officials told TOI that, “Most of cameras in Dombivli’s many parts are not working and we have requested KDMC to start these cameras”. The command-and-control centres operated jointly by KDMC and police have played a key role in maintaining a crime detection rate of over 80% in the twin cities.Sources said many of the faults are linked to damaged cables, hardware failures and disruptions caused by ongoing metro and infrastructure works. The original maintenance contract expired in April 2025, after which KDMC continued maintenance through the same agency.KDMC IT officer Pramod Kamble acknowledged that not 36 some equipment was not functioning and said restoration work is underway. “Metro construction and other infrastructure projects have affected some systems. Efforts are being taken to make them operational at the earliest,” he said.Smart City infrastructure status Equipment |Non-functional| Total Installed| % Down

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KALYAN: In a move aimed at enhancing transparency, accountability, and administrative efficiency, the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) has rolled out a comprehensive electronic Human Resource Management System (e-HRMS) as part of its institutional reforms in the General Administration Department (GAD). Municipal Commissioner Manisha Awhale said the new system integrates several employee-related services on a single digital platform. A facial recognition-based attendance system, linked directly to the payroll mechanism, has been introduced to ensure accurate attendance records and reduce manual intervention. The civic body has also shifted its leave management process entirely online through a dedicated leave app. Pension proposal processing and approvals have been digitised, enabling faster and more transparent disposal of retirement-related cases. As part of the reforms, digital seniority lists have been made available on a dashboard to facilitate timely review and ensure transparency. Promotion-related procedures have also been streamlined through an online system. Officials said employee service records and establishment management functions have now been integrated under a unified e-HRMS platform, allowing easier access to data and improved monitoring. The UMC is also developing an integrated dashboard for real-time review and supervision of administrative processes. Civic officials believe the reforms will strengthen governance and improve overall efficiency in municipal administration.

THANE: A four-year-old boy was allegedly beaten to death by his mother’s lover in Maharashtra’s Thane district, police said on Wednesday. The motive behind the killing is yet to be established.The accused, identified as Shambhu Sharma, was arrested after investigators became suspicious during the preliminary probe into the child’s death on Monday. The incident occurred in the Kashimira police station area, and further investigation is underway.According to police, the boy’s mother had been living with Sharma. Investigators alleged that the accused brutally assaulted the child at their residence, causing fatal injuries. Police further claimed that an attempt was made to portray the death as a natural one in order to conceal the crime.However, during the panchnama, police noticed multiple injury marks on the child’s body, raising suspicions about the circumstances of the death. The body was subsequently sent for a post-mortem examination, which confirmed that the boy died from severe internal injuries sustained in the assault.Based on the findings, police detained Sharma, who allegedly confessed to assaulting the child during questioning, officials said.A murder case was registered against him on Tuesday. Investigators are now trying to determine the motive behind the assault and whether the child’s mother had any knowledge of or involvement in the alleged crime, police added.(With agency inputs)