Sindh Safe City Project still on paper

The Sindh Safe City Project (SSCP) has been still facing electric shocks for the past many months, as several meetings have taken place, but the project is still on paper. Moreover, a recent meeting held by the Sindh government had also not come to a conclusion.

Officials said on Saturday that last year Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar held a meeting at his office to review the progress of the SSCP but was shocked to hear that nothing had been done yet and had ordered the home department to conduct a review meeting.

They added that several meetings had earlier taken place since after the project was ordered to be functional, but no outcome came, as at times it was said there was a lack of funds, or the amount given by the hired company was high, and later when the dollar shot up in Pakistan the prices of the equipment to be used in the SSCP also went up and again the project hit snags.

Officials said that from time to time members provided suggestions, but still no funds or clearance was issued in this regard.

Moreover, on January 2, 2024, the 2nd meeting of the Technical and Financial Committee on Karachi Safe City Project (Phase-I) was held at the home department. The minutes of the meeting said. “The chair welcomed participants of the meeting and apprised that the Committee was constituted in pursuance of caretaker chief minister Sindh’s directives issued in the meeting on Sindh Safe Cities Authority on 11th December, 2023. Further that the Committee had decided in its first meeting to create a sub-committee of technical experts to discuss out technicalities related to the questions and TORS of the Committee with NRTC team. Therefore, invited sub-committee members to apprise the forum of their discussions and recommendations.”

The forum was informed that the sub-committee, comprising technical experts, had held detailed discussions with an NRTC team to evaluate the equipment and software to be used in the project and reach to a conclusion. The members include The director general (IT), Information Technology Department, the DG Sindh Safe Cities Authority, the director (IT) Planning and Development Department, and Dr Nadeem Mehmood, associate professor/HoD of Computer Science, University of Karachi.

The point-wise brief on the points and ToRs and decisions of the Technical and Financial Committee are as follows.

The NRTC team said that they have shared the breakdown of the fees that they would be charged in Phase-I of the project and to complete the project respectively. They were conveyed that they had to present their fees in terms of amounts not in percentage to which the NRTC team agreed and committed to present the same for incorporation in the modified PC-I after finalization of the scope of work.

It was decided with consensus that the NRTC team will review their fees and share the same in terms of the amount for Phase-I and the whole project so that the same is incorporated in the modified PC-I to be submitted in pursuance of decisions of the PDWP. Further it was mutually agreed that there will not be any indirect fees of the NRTC.

The forum was informed that the matter was discussed in the sub-committee at length with the NRTC team and it was decided that in Phase-I Hikvision software with a licence for two users may be used for the purpose and further the NRTC will arrange a demo showing use of the two software for better decision-making.

However, the NRTC team informed the forum that in pursuance of earlier discussions they approached the Hikvision who said that they have not had such software. Further, the NRTC team suggested that in Phase-I they will provide complimentary a video enhancement software for one user.

It was decided that the costs incorporated in PC-I in lieu of the video enhancement software will be deleted and the NRTC will provide it complimentarily for one user.

The forum was told that the question of laying a dedicated fiber optic or use of rental dark-care services was discussed in the sub-committee with reference to the costs, security of data and efficiency in detail. The members were of the view that a dedicated fiber optic use is preferred and recommended. The NRTC team was, however, required to share a detailed layout plan, so calculate and verify the costs. It was also pointed out that the cost of dedicated duct and ROW was not included in the PC-I.

It was also decided that a dedicated fiber optic would be used for the project and layout map would be shared by the NRTC and also the cost in this regard would be reviewed and the justified cost would be incorporated in the modified PC-1.

The forum was informed that the sub-committee had discussed and evaluated the use of SSDs vs SATA hard drive keeping in view economy, security and efficiency. The NRTC recommended a hybrid model which is cost-effective and serves the purpose. The NRTC team shared details of the data showing where the same is to be stored in case of hybrid model.

The committee, after discussions and cross-view-sharing, decided to adopt the hybrid model which matches with demands of the project and is cost-effective.

The forum was informed that the fusion software tools will be dropped from Phase-I of the project in line with decision of the SSCA meeting held on 11.12.2023 under the chairmanship of the caretaker chief minister.

The committee decided that the costs earlier in the Phase-I of project would be deleted from the modified PC-I.

The forum was told that the NRTC team has contacted top vendors to get their quotes and the best quote will be adopted for the project in line with decision of the PDWP. It was decided that the NRTC will provide cost comparison and specifications to be solicited by top vendors in the market and the best costs will be incorporated in the modified PC-1.

The chair thanked members of the committee for the valuable input which helped to reach to a conclusion and directed the DG SSCA to prepare a modified PC-I in light of decisions of the PDWP and decisions of the committee at the earliest.