KARACHI, Jan 23: The Sindh government is likely to become the first provincial government within a month to have its own FM radio covering 50 to 80sq-kms area.

This radio station, on which fast-pace work is in progress, besides entertainment programmes would be used to keep people updated about traffic situation on main arteries of the metropolis.

This was disclosed by Adviser to Chief Minister on Information Technology Muhammad Noman Saigal while addressing a press conference at the committee room in the New Sindh Secretariat on Tuesday.

Giving details of Rs550 million e-policing project to be completed in the next three years, he said with the all-out support from the governor and the home department Rs70 million allocation had been sanctioned in the first year.

He said e-policing system was being introduced in all four provinces with the support of the federal government in collaboration with the National Police Foundation.

The adviser said Sindh had taken lead as already three tenders had been floated inviting bids for initiating work on the ground.

He said the delay in execution of the project was due to some modification in the plan to avoid duplicity of expenditure by taking advantage of the software available with the federal government.

Mr Saigal said in order to make police people friendly, the government was working on the concept of “Smart Police Station” which would be equipped with modern technology. Friendly environment would be ensured in police stations to help change their image in the masses.

He said 10 police stations would be selected in Karachi in the first phase to turn them into smart police stations which would be linked with all concerned department, officials and home department so that information of every event and FIR be transferred and coordinated efforts could be made to solve the problem.

In reply to a question, he said if bureaucracy did not create hurdles in the way, he was optimistic that the first smart police station could be on the ground with in a period of three to six months.

His department had already acquired three floors on the IGP head office.

A steering committee comprising home secretary, IG Police, IG Prisons and CCPO was already seized with the project. The CPLC had also been taken into confidence in this respect, he added.

He said the main features would be introduction of e-ticketing and biometric system, strengthening police and improving FIR registration system.

Replying to another question he said such model police stations had already started working in Islamabad.