New CCTV cameras: CDA to improve monitoring at headquarters

Body’s fuel pumps to be monitored as well to check pilferage

ISLAMABAD: In a bid to improve monitoring the civic body has decided to install the latest closed-circuit television cameras at the main building of the body.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) decided to embark on the project which is estimated to cost around Rs8.5 million.

In the first phase of the project, cameras would be installed in five blocks of CDA headquarters, including CDA Chairman Sheikh Anser Aziz’s office.

Moreover, two fuel pumps where CDA’s official vehicles top up their fuel tanks will also be monitored by the civic body. These fuel pumps would be linked to the main control room set up in CDA headquarters.

Officials of the civic body said that the body’s administration wants to enhance monitoring of all offices of the authority and that they planned to put up around 91 cameras initially in the five blocks of the chairman’s office.

At the moment, eight antiquated security cameras have been installed at CDA buildings. To keep an eye on all offices round the clock a control room would be established in the chairman’s office to monitor them.

The CDA officials further said that the first phase of the project was expected to be completed by January 31, 2018.

Moreover, they would monitor the time when CDA vehicles fill up from CDA’s filling stations to keep a track on fuel consumption. For this purpose, 12 fixed cameras would be installed at the CDA’s filling stations in Sector G-7 and at the Machine Pool fuel pump in Sector H-9.

Currently, thousands of official vehicles are being used by different departments of CDA, which use 30,000 litres of fuel per month. There is a general perception within the higher echelons of CDA that large scale fuel pilferage is being committed in the use of CDA vehicles.

CDA Member Administration, meanwhile, explained that security cameras were being installed at the Admin Directorate on an urgent basis and for this purpose the services of NTC had been contracted.

He explained in the second phase of the project, all 27 departments of CDA would be monitored and linked to the central control room.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 26^th, 2017.