Public transport asked to adopt safety measures

Installation of firefighting equipment, emergency exits should be ensured

KARACHI:

Public transport operators, plying vehicles on intercity and interprovincial routes, have been given a one-month to install firefighting equipment and emergency exits in buses, coasters and school vans for the safety of passengers.

The decision to this effect was taken on Monday in a meeting with Sindh Transport Minister, Sharjeel Inam Memon in the chair at his office.

The minister directed the transport department to launch a campaign to check safety arrangements in public transport with the coordination of the district administrations, traffic and the motorway police.

The minister said that safety of passengers should be the top priority of transporters but unfortunately due to irresponsibility of transporters and lack of awareness among drivers to deal with emergency situations, hundreds of precious lives are lost in tragic incidents.

The provincial minister directed that the motor vehicle registration rules should be strictly implemented in the province and the route permits of violating passenger vehicles should be cancelled.

He said that CNG cylinders should also be removed from all public transport vehicles.

The minister warned that transport department should take this task seriously otherwise strict action will be taken against those found negligent.

The meeting also reviewed the People's Bus Service operations.

Sharjeel said that People's Bus Service is a pilot project of Sindh government. Managing Director Sindh Mass Transit Authority should make the monitoring system of bus service effective and report should be prepared on daily basis.

Secretary Transport, Abdul Halim Sheikh; MD Sindh Mass Transit Authority, Capt. (R) Altaf Hussain Sario; Additional Secretary Transport, Mushtaq Sheikh; Assistant Director Legal, Sindh Mass Transit Authority, Bashir Hussain; Manager Operations, NRTC, Abdul Shakur and others also attended in the meeting.