AI system to detect open manholes, overflowing dumpsters in Punjab

Following the tragic death of a seven-year-old boy in an uncovered manhole in Lodhran, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said on Tuesday that the province would use an advanced AI system developed by the Punjab Safe Cities Authority to detect issues such open manhole and overflowing dumpsters.

In a post on X, she said that the system, named ‘Talk to Camera’, allows officers to query the entire camera network using natural language, adding that it can automatically identify issues such as open manholes, overflowing dumpsters, and visible smoke.

"Following the tragic incident in Lodhran, where a precious life was lost due to an open manhole, the Punjab Safe Cities Authority has developed ‘Talk to Camera’, an advanced AI system that allows officers to query the entire camera network using natural language," she wrote.

"The system can automatically detect issues such as open manholes, overflowing dumpsters, and visible smoke in real time."

Following the tragic incident in Lodhran, where a precious life was lost due to an open manhole, the Punjab Safe Cities Authority has developed ‘Talk to Camera’, an advanced AI system that allows officers to query the entire camera network using natural language. The system can… pic.twitter.com/M1SACoyL4U

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) December 9, 2025

Last week, a seven-year-old boy lost his life after falling into an uncovered manhole connected to an underground sewerage line in Dhanote town, near Lodhran city.

Following the incident, the chief minister ordered the transfer of Lodhran Deputy Commissioner Dr. Lubna Nazir.