Karachi expands safe city project with phase II rollout

The Sindh government has approved Phase-II of the Karachi Safe City Project, marking a major expansion in the city’s surveillance and security infrastructure. Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah gave the go-ahead during a meeting of the Sindh Safe Cities Authority, emphasizing the importance of technology-driven public safety.

The new phase will see the installation of more than 2,300 smart surveillance cameras across Karachi. These include cameras for general monitoring, systems equipped with automatic number plate recognition and facial recognition capabilities, and devices dedicated to traffic enforcement and signal monitoring. Mobile surveillance units and drones will further enhance the city’s monitoring capacity.

Officials informed the meeting that the project aims to strengthen law enforcement response, improve crime prevention, and support traffic management. District South will receive the highest number of cameras, followed by East and other districts, significantly expanding coverage across urban areas.

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The project carries an estimated cost of nearly Rs9.98 billion and is expected to be completed within 12 months, with work likely to begin in May 2026. Infrastructure plans include multiple Points of Presence sites with backup power systems, a smart surveillance tower, public panic buttons linked to a central command system, and response vehicles equipped with onboard cameras.

Murad Ali Shah highlighted that over Rs1 billion had been saved through procurement negotiations, underscoring the government’s focus on cost efficiency without compromising quality. He directed authorities to fast-track approvals and ensure timely implementation to avoid cost increases due to rising global prices.

The meeting also reviewed proposals to expand safe city projects to other divisional headquarters across Sindh. Officials stressed the need for an integrated system to improve coordination, ensuring that all initiatives operate under a unified command and control framework for maximum effectiveness.