Surveillance camera attached to a traffic light in downtown shown Friday, Aug. 5, 2011, in Houston. The city last year installed 250 to 300 at downtown intersections to prevent and fight terrorism and crime, part of a security initiative sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. ( Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle )
The Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) has introduced a groundbreaking feature under the Chief Minister’s “Safe Punjab Vision,” enabling citizens’ mobile phone cameras to act as Safe City cameras in emergencies. Through the new “Connect to PSCA” tool in the Safe City public safety app, users can instantly share live video feeds of serious incidents with authorities.
In an emergency call to helpline 15, Safe City officers will send a live feed link to the caller, automatically streaming the scene to the control room. Officials can then assess the situation in real time and dispatch immediate assistance. PSCA officials emphasized that this service is strictly for emergency situations, advising citizens to keep their phone location enabled and avoid unnecessary video sharing.
The feature aims to enhance public safety, improve response times, and actively involve citizens in crime prevention and emergency management across Punjab.