Phusela High School

Surveillance Monitoring

We were assigned to upgrade an existing 8-channel surveillance system at a remote village location, a site that immediately presented both logistical and technical challenges. The area was difficult to access, and sourcing additional materials or tools on short notice was not an option—everything had to be solved on site. Upon inspection, we found that the system had been failing intermittently, with several cameras completely offline. A thorough assessment revealed the root cause: rats had been actively chewing through the camera cables that were routed through the attic. The damage was extensive—multiple cables had exposed conductors, breaks, and unreliable connections, making the existing setup unstable and unsafe to maintain in its current state. The DVR had originally been installed in the ceiling space, which further complicated troubleshooting and maintenance. As part of the corrective work, we carefully dismantled the setup and relocated the DVR from the ceiling down to the headmaster’s office. This new location was more secure, accessible, and suitable for proper ventilation and ongoing system management. Initially, we attempted to salvage the existing infrastructure by bridging and repairing the damaged cables. After several attempts, however, it became clear that this approach was not viable. The extent of the rodent damage meant that any temporary fixes would likely fail again, leading to recurring downtime and unreliable camera feeds. Given these conditions, we made the decision to replace both the cameras and the recording system entirely. The upgrade involved installing a new Hikvision surveillance system, selected for its proven reliability, superior image quality, and stable, constant live feed performance. New cabling was properly routed and secured to reduce the risk of future rodent damage, and the system was fully configured and tested on site. After installation, all cameras were brought online with a consistent and uninterrupted live feed. The headmaster’s office now serves as a centralized control point, allowing for easy monitoring, playback, and system management. The upgrade not only resolved the existing faults but also significantly improved the overall reliability, accessibility, and long-term sustainability of the security system.