Deadline set for safe city project

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and the National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) on Tuesday signed an agreement to implement the much-delayed Peshawar Safe City project at the cost of Rs2.2 billion in the next six months.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has officially launched the Peshawar Safe City Project after signing an agreement with the National Radio & Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) at the Chief Minister’s House. Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur attended the ceremony as the chief guest.

Project Director Rai Ijaz Ahmad announced that the first phase of the project will start immediately and is expected to be completed by October 21 this year. In this phase, 710 high-resolution 12-megapixel CCTV cameras will be installed at 125 key locations in Peshawar. These cameras will be more advanced than those used in similar projects in other cities of the country.

He explained that this is not just a surveillance system but a modern, AI-based security setup. It will help identify suspects, track vehicles, and send alerts to emergency police patrols in real time. The system will also support e-challans for 15 types of traffic violations and will be linked with the excise and taxation department’s database.

The project will also connect with the CCTV systems already installed in the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and other commercial areas. In the next stage, 600 more surveillance sites will be added across the city, with the second phase costing Rs5 billion.

The total cost for Peshawar’s project stands at Rs2.2 billion for the first phase. A Safe City Authority will also be formed to regulate camera specifications and manage system integration.Additionally, the project will extend to terrorism-affected districts like D.I. Khan, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, and others, costing Rs6 billion.

The Chief Minister emphasized that public safety and modern policing are key government priorities.