WASA, PSCA join forces to monitor monsoon operations

LAHORE:

The government of Punjab has decided to collaborate with the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) and Punjab Safe City Authority (PSCA) to monitor monsoon operations in Lahore.

This initiative aims to enhance the management of urban flooding and improve civic amenities during the monsoon season.

Initially launched as a pilot project in Lahore, the PSCA focused on surveillance, security, and crime-fighting.

Its success led to its expansion to five major cities, and it is now being replicated in over 20 cities across Punjab.

Other provinces are also adopting this technology.

The PSCA aims to maximise the use of its extensive infrastructure, including a 2000-km long underground optic fibre network, for broader purposes beyond security.

In 2021, the PSCA signed an MoU with a foreign IT firm to transform part of the PSCA network into a Smart City, experimenting with integrated city management for services like waste management, drainage, environment, and traffic.

During Eidul Azha, the PSCA network was used to coordinate cleanliness drives and proper disposal of animal hides.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz highlighted the PSCA’s role in a tweet, praising its effectiveness.

To prepare for the monsoon season, a meeting was held at the WASA headquarters, chaired by Minister for Local Government Zeeshan Rafiq.

Attendees included Commissioner Zaid bin Maqsood, Deputy Commissioner Rafia Haider, WASA Managing Director Ghufran Ahmad, and LWMC Managing Director Babar Sahib Deen.

The meeting reviewed arrangements for the monsoon season, with a focus on preventing traffic disruptions at 31 underpasses in Lahore.

Minister Rafiq directed the deployment of staff from LWMC, Metropolitan Corporation Lahore, and LDA at WASA relief camps.