Latest news with #Phase-2
Business Recorder
14 hours ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Minister, Chinese delegation discuss projects under CPEC Phase-2
ISLAMABAD: A senior Chinese delegation, Thursday, discussed development projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Phase-2 with Planning Ministry for preparation of the upcoming 14th Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting in next month (July). Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal hosted a senior Chinese delegation in Islamabad for a luncheon meeting aimed at boosting cooperation under the second phase of the CPEC. The Chinese delegation was led by Hu Zhaoming, spokesperson of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC) and Director General of its Information and Communication Bureau. He was accompanied by senior officials including Hu Xiaodong, Fan Shilian, and Li Zishuo. Diplomats from the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad, including Deputy Chief of Mission Shi Yuanqiang and Attaché Zhang Duo, were also in attendance. During the meeting, Minister Iqbal highlighted the significance of the upcoming JCC meeting and said that it would be a key milestone in CPEC's journey, with preparatory working group sessions already underway to ensure smooth proceedings. He emphasised the need to nurture critical thinking and innovation among Pakistan's youth, drawing parallels with China's success in aligning public confidence with national development goals. He appreciated China's continued support and underlined the importance of people-to-people and media exchanges in deepening bilateral relations. The discussions also featured innovative ideas to bridge cultural and information gaps between the two nations. These included proposals for exchange programmes between journalists and digital content creators, as well as sharing English-dubbed Chinese content on popular OTT platforms to help Pakistani youth better understand Chinese society and CPEC developments. Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ataullah Tarar, who also attended the meeting, suggested initiating a digital exchange programme specifically for journalists and influencers with strong social media presence from both countries. The goal, he said, is to promote mutual understanding and dispel misconceptions about CPEC through authentic storytelling. Amenah Kamal, Member Development Communica-tion from the Planning Commission, supported the idea and proposed that dubbed content in English and Urdu should be made widely accessible through digital streaming platforms to engage young audiences more effectively. Other senior attendees included Javed Sikandar, Chief Governance at the Planning Commission, Dr Nadeem Javaid, Vice Chancellor of the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), and Dr Muzamil Zia, CPEC's Regional Connectivity and Infrastructure Specialist. The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to strengthen Pakistan-China cooperation through dialogue, creativity, and inclusive public engagement. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
8 months on, no financial nod yet; installation of 2.7k cameras held up in Gurgaon
Gurgaon: The installation of 2,722 CCTV cameras at 258 locations across the city — under Phase-2 — has been delayed due to delay in financial months after eligible bidders were shortlisted, the second phase of the city's surveillance and adaptive traffic management project, estimated at Rs 160 crore, remains stalled as GMDA continues to await the green light from a high-powered committee. Under state rules, any infrastructure project above Rs 10 crore must be cleared by the works purchase during GMDA's 10th authority meeting in June 2022, the Phase-2 plan was meant to enhance traffic regulation and boost urban safety. So far, GMDA has installed 1,200 cameras at 218 locations in the city and Manesar under Phase-1, which was completed in Aug and security clearly don't seem high on the govt's priority list. That is why despite administrative approvals and the tender process, the Phase-2 project has run into yet another bureaucratic hurdle — the lack of financial approval — after being held up for more than a year pending police clearance, which finally came in Oct 2023. According to GMDA officials, once the tender is finally awarded, it would take another 18 months for Phase-2 to be selected company will also be responsible for maintaining all equipment and bearing operational expenses for five years.A tender was issued in March 2024 and five firms were found technically eligible by Oct, but the file hasn't moved further. Since Oct last year, several other infrastructure projects for the city received the govt nod, but the CCTV rollout was left out.A GMDA official said, "The technical process is complete and we have submitted the case for placing before the high-powered works purchase committee. We are now awaiting govt approval."The indefinite delay in implementing Phase-2 has cast a shadow over the third phase of the surveillance project, which aimed to further strengthen the city's public safety camera network. The Phase-3 was approved by the state govt in July last year. The project, estimated at Rs 422 crore, proposes the installation of 10,000 more cameras at 2,000 additional locations, including public places, high-footfall areas, community spaces and govt buildings under this has now said that the requirement for CCTV Phase-3 will be reworked based on actual coverage in Phases 1 and 2 and inputs from the concerned department, after Phase-2 is implemented. A GMDA official said, "We can only proceed with the Phase-3 planning once Phase-2 is implemented. This will give us an idea of how and where additional coverage is required."In Nov last year, GMDA planned to hire an agency to conduct a citywide survey to identify the necessary infrastructure and pinpoint suitable camera locations. But that too was shelved. In Feb this year, the authority cancelled the tender for hiring the agency.
