Islamabad Gets 1,950 Hi-Tech CCTV Cameras

In a bid to ensure foolproof security in the federal capital- Islamabad, the “Safe City Project” infrastructure is complete, ready and under commissioning test.

Under the project, 1950 CCTV cameras have been installed, enabling the city to have a technology-based security system. The entire security system of the city is linked with these CCTV cameras to keep vigilance on suspects.

The total cost of the project is Rs. 15.865 billion (including $125 million as foreign component and Rs 4 billion as local component on account of duties and taxes.

Major components of safe city project are

• Bomb proof 2,900 square meter command center building
• 1950 surveillance cameras
• 500 km fiber optic
• eLTE 4-G network
• Computer aided dispatch system and other software including facial recognition, vehicle management system etc.

Further the project consists of Emergency Command Center equipped with 72 screens and drone cameras, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag readers, turnstiles and barriers to report, identify, control and manage any accident as well as ensuring timely action against any suspect appearing on the screen.

RFID is the wireless use of electromagnetic fields to transfer data, for the purposes of automatically identifying and tracking tags attached to objects. The tags contain electronically stored information.

The installation of CCTV cameras will assist in controlling crime rates, terrorist activities in the capital and keeping check on car-lifting.

The total cost of the project is Rs. 15.865 billion

With the assistance of recordings of CCTV cameras, traffic violations in the capital will also be monitored and drivers involved in violations of traffic rules will get tickets as per registration numbers of vehicles at their home addresses.

After it’s operational, Islamabad will be included in the list of safe capitals of the world where security measures are ensured through modern technology and security apparatus is interlinked with the ‘Rapid Response Force’ to take immediate action on every kind of suspect activity.

The project for the installation of CCTV cameras was inaugurated by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in June 2015 under the ‘Safe City Project.’ The project has been completed within the timeframe ordered by the interior minister.

CCTV cameras have been installed at all main roads, intersections, markets and exit and entrance points of the capital. To interlink coordination through these CCTV cameras, a ‘Command and Control Centre’ has been established to monitor suspect activities in the city. Upright police officials will perform duties at the ‘Command and Control Centre’ round-the-clock to keep an eye on suspect activities in the capital.

To take action on suspect activities which appear on CCTV cameras, the ‘Rapid Response Force’ of ICT Police will remain on alert to reach the scene within three minutes.

A rapid response team can be at a scene of a crime or suspected activity within three minutes

Amidst challenges of terrorism incidents, the project will streamline security measures for Islamabad. The coordination on part of the ‘Rapid Response Force’ will become vital to identify and arrest elements involved in suspect activities.

Some of the project manpower is being hired as it is a highly technical assignment and people of requisite skills are being sought through a transparent process to run the hi-tech system. However a new summary for hiring 200 personnel for the Safe City Project has been sent to Secretary Ministry of Interior for approval by National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). Following hiring of staff, the Chinese firm will give them month-long training on the operation of the project.