‘Safe and Secure’ transport launched

Islamabad Police launches Safe and Secure Taxi service for twin cities.

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Police on Thursday in collaboration with a non-government organisation launched Safe and Secure Taxi service for the twin cities.

Highlighting the main aspects of the project while formally inaugurating it at the Rescue 15 office, Inspector General of Police Islamabad Kaleem Imam said that Rescue 15 Islamabad police in collaboration with NGO Shelter will maintain a database of cabs plying in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

The database will include the particulars of the owners of the cabs and the registration numbers of vehicles. In a subsequent campaign, the cab drivers would be motivated to get their names and vehicle numbers entered in the database.

A 3-digit special number, prescribed on a sticker, will be issued to the vehicle after its data is entered in the database. The special number will be placed on the vehicle to help passengers trace the vehicle in case of complaints.

“It occurs sometimes that citizens hire a cab, forget their precious items or valuables in it and can’t note the registration number. Maintenance of database and 3-digit number would help such people in tracing valuables,” said the Inspector General Kaleem Imam.

The system will also assist cab drivers in remaining safe from criminal elements by informing the Rescue 15 police before leaving a particular destination, the IG added.

A total of Rs1.5 million has been spent on the project while further investment would be made to bring an improvement in it, said DSP Rescue 15 Mussarat Ali Khan.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2010.