A Rescue 1122 ambulance in Lahore. PHOTO: FILE
The capital is all set to have a new federal government-funded emergency service patterned on Punjab’s Rescue 1122.
Sources have revealed that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan is said to be behind the idea of an emergency service which will cover urban areas fall under the Capital Development Authority (CDA) as well as rural areas under the control of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration.
Sources said that the PC-I of the project would soon be submitted to the interior ministry for provision of funds.
Under the proposed plan, besides the main emergency service station in Sector H-11, a total of seven sub-stations would be established across Islamabad including at G-5 (Diplomatic Enclave), G-14 (near Tarnol), G-11, I-9, I-14, Humak Town and Bhara Kahu.
Each emergency centre would be equipped with one fire truck, a rescue van, an ambulance and dedicated rescue squad including firemen and paramedical staff, the sources said.
A senior CDA official requesting anonymity told The Express Tribune that the authority was working on the PC-I of the project.
“First, we would require funds to construct buildings at seven locations, each building covering an area of 15,000 square feet and costing Rs1,500 per square feet. “The tentative cost of construction alone may be around Rs157.5 million,” the official said.
While talking about the required emergency vehicles and the staff, he said the CDA has already incorporated a fleet of 15 emergency vehicles including ambulances and 184 staffers in CDA’s Emergency and Disaster Management Directorate.
“The CDA already has the required number of ambulances, fire tenders and snorkels besides the manpower. What we need are rescue vans,” the official said.
The Rescue 1122 service, which is working in all 36 districts of Punjab, started functioning during the tenure of former Punjab chief minister Pervaiz Elahi.
The official said that tenders would be invited for the project after submitting the PC-I documents.
“We held a meeting with Punjab Rescue 1122 officials last week, and if we go by the plan, the project will be launched within three months,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 3rd, 2013.
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