By Fazeena Saleem
DOHA: Parking areas of many shopping centres are now being monitored by CCTV cameras with the law making it mandatory to set up surveillance cameras at their premises.
Earlier shopping centres had installed surveillance cameras mostly within the buildings, but a new law requires CCTV cameras to be fixed even in the open parking areas and to set a control room.
Installation of CCTV cameras is a compulsory requirement for the annual company registration renewal, according to operators of some leading shopping centres and other businesses.
“CCTV cameras were installed soon after we received the notice. We were one of the first shopping malls to fix the cameras with a well equipped control room,” said a senior official at the Hyatt Plaza.
The Lulu hypermarket on the D-Ring road was seen yesterday completing installation of surveillance cameras in its parking area.
The law makes it mandatory places including hotels, residential complexes, banks, exchange houses, jewellery shops, sport clubs, cultural centres, shopping centres, entertainment places, hospitals, clinics, warehouses and stores to fix CCTV cameras at its premises.
The law that makes it compulsory to have CCTV cameras in their premises came into effect from May 1, 2013.
Also the private entities are also supposed to buy the surveillance cameras only from authorised sellers.
“This year when I went for company registration renewal was asked of CCTV cameras are installed. Also inspectors are supposed to come to our shops and inspect if the surveillance cameras are functioning properly,” said a jewellery shop owner in the gold souq.
“There are only very few places from which we should buy the CCTV cameras, they are very expensive and it cost me more than QR 60,000 to purchase and fix the surveillance system,” he added.
The owners of the entities are required to ensure that the cameras are working and regularly maintained. Any entity violating the law will get up to three years in jail and fine maximum of QR50,000 or one of them.
The Peninsula
