KARACHI: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday approved the Rs1.56 billion Sindh Toll Plaza Surveillance Project to enhance security at entry points to the province through the installation of high-definition CCTV cameras on 40 facilities with a centralised monitoring and alert system for blacklisted vehicles and criminals.

The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting chaired by the chief minister and attended among others by Inspector General of Police Ghulam Nabi Memon, Home Secretary Saeed Mangnijo, Fayaz Jatoi and Finance Secretary Sajid Jamal Abro.

The chief minister said that there was a dire need to enhance security at the entry points to the province, adding that the province had 40 toll plazas where high-definition CCTV cameras should be installed to ensure proper monitoring.

The IGP told the CM that his department had prepared a Rs1.56bn project for surveillance of movement of people and vehicles from toll plazas.

Approves Rs4bn for repair of 8,000 police quarters damaged by rain

He added that the CCTV cameras would have Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) capabilities with a centralised monitoring and alert system for blacklisted vehicles and criminals.

The CM, after the discussion, approved the scheme and directed the IGP to launch the project at the earliest.

Later in the evening, IGP Memon held a meeting at the Central Police Officer about installation of surveillance cameras at 40 toll plazas as well as at 20 traffic intersections on Sharea Faisal and Defence Housing Authority.

Procurement of equipment

The IGP told the chief minister that a Rs2.7 billion scheme for the purchase of sophisticated field weapons and surveillance equipment was prepared and sent to the finance department through the home department.

The CM said that he had approved the scheme and wanted the police to eradicate the menace of dacoits in the riverine area.

He said that the menace of dacoits in the riverine area of the Sukkur and Larkana divisions had become a standing threat to the peace in the province.

He said that the dacoits operated within the riverine areas of Sindh, Punjab, and Balochistan and a joint operation was being launched to take them to task.

Another matter that came under discussion in the meeting was the expansion of the Rapid Response Force (RRF) and the establishment of the Crowd Management Unit (CMU).

IGP Memon told the chief minister that work on the expansion of RRF and the establishment of the CMU was in progress. He said that some posts of the police officers were required to be re-designated which were sent to the finance department for approval.

The IGP told the chief minister that 8,000 residential quarters of Sindh police had been damaged by the recent rains and floods. He also said that various training barracks had also been affected badly.

The chief minister approved Rs4 billion for repairing and renovating the residential quarters and Rs2 billion for repairing training barracks.

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2023