It seems with the possible inclusion of Lahore in the UNs Safe City Project, Pakistan would become a member of the Smart Cities Club. To this end, a UN-Habitat team has scheduled a visit to Pakistan for the beginning of March 2019.
Akbar Nisar Khan, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) said that this particular project is contributing towards the economic development of the country. The basic aim is to ensure safety and provide foolproof security to the citizens. He further added that keeping in view the occurrence of several condemnable incidents, the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) decided to revise the project cost for its extension to Kasur. The initial cost of the project was set at Rs.13.42 billion which was raised to Rs.17.5 billion. Fifty cameras have already been installed in Kasur, and 45 of them would come into operation by the end of next month.
In a bid to extend the project to other cities of Punjab, the authority has presented a proposal for planning. Six major cities of the province are under consideration for the extension of the project that includes Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Multan, and Bahawalpur. However, the Chief Minister of Punjab is in favour of implementing the project in Dera Ghazi Khan as well. The extension will also help in implementing the National Action Plan as the project will create at least 5000 more jobs. However, a hefty amount of Rs.50 billion is required for its completion in a three year time period.
Meanwhile, the nature of the project ensures revenue generation in no time. The Punjab government has generated revenue of Rs.75 million on the back of E-challan system in the past three months. At the moment, the Safe City Project in Lahore is locally and internationally acclaimed for its infrastructure.
According to statistics, nearly 1.5 million vehicles enter and exit Lahore. The Safe City Project in Lahore has 8000 cameras installed at several junctions. Among them, 930 cameras are equipped with a face recognition feature through software. So, the project has its distinguished features which cover all the aspects that ensure the safety and protection of the citizens.
On the other hand, the Punjab government is planning for an amendment in the Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1965. The devised plan demands an increase in the e-challans by 50%, and at the same time, it would be made mandatory to obtain a driving license before buying any vehicle. According to the COO, the amendment has been approved by CM Punjab which now awaits approval from Punjab Assembly.
The Punjab Police officials also applauded the Safe City Project as it assists in the surveillance and results in preventing criminal and terrorist activities. The project has made it much easier for the police to make their decisions in the presence of video evidence. Moreover, it has also increased the number of law-abiding citizens. The expansion of the project will only result in the sense of security among the citizens of other cities as well.
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