Security camera.
HYDERABAD:
As the Sindh government keeps delaying initiation of the safe city project in Hyderabad and Jamshoro districts, the DIG Hyderabad and the district administrations have joined hands with the business community to start their own surveillance system.
In this regard DIG Hyderabad Tariq Razzak Dharejo inaugurated the first of the planned 600 cameras, installed at Kohenoor Chowk in downtown Hyderabad on Friday while also opening the community policing Hyderabad’s office at the SSP office.
“We plan to install around 600 cameras including 120 at the city’s entrance and exit points within three months,” the DIG said, adding that the number may go up to 800 if needed. A 360 degrees view camera of 8 megapixel has been installed at the Kohenoor Chowk, which is an intersection among Qadam Gah Moula Ali (RA), Resham bazaar, Pukka Qila and the surrounding markets.
“We have been talking to the Community Policing Karachi for a month or two to start this set up,” Dharejo disclosed. He said the government’s safe city project as well as the one for regulating traffic in Hyderabad are still in the pipeline, awaiting approval and tendering. According to him, the budget for the project as per a feasibility report submitted by the Hyderabad Range police has scaled up to about Rs2.5 billion.
The DIG told that the feasibility has been submitted to the Sindh government, pending approval. “So, we have started a third project which is inspired by Community Policing Karachi. Under this plan, the business community, the district administration and the police will collaborate for installation of the cameras.”
He explained that different markets, shopping centers, petrol pumps, schools, colleges and government offices will be approached to foot the bill for installation of the CCTV cameras around their premises. The DIG has appointed chairman of Hyderabad SITE Association of Trade and Industry (HSATI) Zubair Ghangra as the district chief for Hyderabad and Jamshoro and Imran Suharwardi as his deputy.
The two men will liaise among the police, the district administration, business community and various commercial and other interests in the city for the project. According to the DIG, whenever the Sindh government approved the safe city project and allocated funds for it as well, the cameras which will be installed over the next three to four months will be integrated in that larger project.
“We are confronted with the issues like Afghanistan, Fitna-Al-Khawarij and Hindustan, and we need to make our homes safe.” He believed that the network of the CCTV cameras will also help the police to fight street crimes.
Prior to the inauguration, the DIG Hyderabad wrote a letter to SSPs of Hyderabad and Jamshoro districts on Friday, asking them to extend complete cooperation to Ghangra and Suharwardi. He stated that the Hyderabad Range police in coordination with the Community Policing Karachi (CPK) is going to constitute a safe city set up for Hyderabad and Jamshoro districts.
