KARACHI: While authorities have successfully launched the surveillance camera-based Traffic Regulation and Citation System (TRACS), popularly known as e-challan system, the implementation of even Phase I of the Karachi Safe City Project is still two months away from its formal launch, it emerged on Thursday.

At a meeting held at Chief Minister House, Sindh CM Syed Murad Ali Shah announced that Phase I of the Rs200 million Karachi Safe City Project would be launched within two months as technology installations had been completed and trial phases were underway.

He also directed the immediate recruitment of expert staff to ensure that the project becomes operational within the next two months.

The project aims to enhance public safety through real-time monitoring of critical areas, with 43 poles already installed and cameras transmitting live footage to the Central Police Office (CPO) Command and Control Centre.

Initial phase covers ‘Red Zone’ and airport corridor; South, East, Korangi and Malir districts to be included in subsequent phases

The first phase covers the high-security ‘Red Zone’ and airport corridor, while subsequent phases will expand to other areas, including districts South, East, Korangi and Malir.

The project is part of a larger initiative to transform Karachi into a technology-driven metropolis, with features like facial recognition, automatic number plate recognition, and intelligent traffic systems.

Presiding over a meeting at Chief Minister House, the CM directed the Sindh Safe City Authority (SSCA) to start preparations for Safe City projects for Hyderabad and Sukkur. “I want you to submit a comprehensive plan with a timeline so that it can be approved”.

The meeting, held at CM House, was attended by Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, CM’s Special Assistant Ali Rashid, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Home Secretary Iqbal Memon, IG Police Javed Alam Odho, Chairman of P&D Najam Shah, Excise Secretary Saleem Rajput, Local Government Secretary Rafi Qureshi, DG Safe Cities Authorities Sarfraz Nawaz and DG Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Salman Shah.

A press statement issued from CM House said that the chief minister directed the immediate recruitment of expert staff to ensure that the project becomes operational within the next two months. “The meeting served as a critical review of the project’s transition from construction to active surveillance and law enforcement,” the statement added.

Operational readiness

Phase I of the Karachi Safe City project, which includes the installation of 1,300 cameras across 300 pole sites, 18 Point of Presence (PoP) sites, and 23 Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs), is now in the “acceptance trial phase”.

To prevent “operational paralysis”, the chief minister approved the temporary contractual appointment of 34 specialised technical and administrative experts.

Budget re-appropriation

The chief minister approved the revised budget of Rs200 million for the Phase-I of the project.

While the total envelope remains unchanged, funds were re-allocated to prioritise human resources and transportation/patrolling to meet immediate operational needs.

“The SSCA will temporarily operate from the Central Police Office (CPO), where Inspector General of Police Javed Odho is committed to providing a dedicated floor to maintain close coordination with the existing Command & Control functions.”

DG SSCA Sarfraz Nawaz briefed the chief minister that the technical component of the project, including servers, video walls, and fibre optic networks, was completed on schedule as of December 17, 2025.

He noted that the Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system was currently being refined and will be ready for a live demonstration of Facial Recognition (FR) and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) within two weeks.

“The safety of Karachi is non-negotiable. We are moving from the project phase to a fully functional Authority,” said that chief minister, directing the SSCA to conduct necessity-based hiring.

The chief minister formed a committee to hire technical experts for the project from the open market, strictly based on merit and need.

The chief minister also noted that surveys for Safe City projects in Hyderabad and Sukkur, as well as smart camera installations at provincial entry and exit points, had been completed by the National Radio & Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC).

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2026