The launch of the “Safe City” surveillance system in Khujand, Tajikistan’s second-largest city, remains uncertain as only half of the installation and implementation work has been completed. Despite earlier promises that the system would be operational by April 2025, it has yet to be activated.
At a news conference in Khujand on July 28, Khujand Deputy Mayor Jamshed Nabizoda stated that just 50% of the project work is finished and that there is no clear timeline for when the system will go live.
This stands in contrast to a statement made six months earlier by Khujand Mayor Firdavs Sharifzoda, who said in January that 90% of the work was done and confidently predicted the system would be operational by April this year.
Nabizoda attributed the delay to the large geographic area of the city, noting that the “Safe City” project takes into account both Khujand’s municipal redevelopment plan and the expansion of its urban roads.
The project is being implemented by a Chinese company with a reported budget of US$20 million, Sharifzoda noted at the January press conference.
The “Safe City” initiative is designed to monitor traffic, prevent accidents and violations, and respond swiftly to emergencies. The system has already operated in Dushanbe since 2013 and in Khorog since 2023, where it has proven effective in detecting traffic violations and other legal infractions—contributing millions of somonis annually to municipal budgets.
However, some drivers have criticized the system, alleging instances of corruption in its operation.
In May 2023, Sughd region governor Rajab Ahmadzoda and Huawei's Deputy Director in Tajikistan, Li Yan, discussed the rollout of the "Safe City" system in Khujand.
