Motorway Police to initiate help centres, mobile ambulances

Motorways and Highways Police Inspector General Zafar Abbas Luk said that during 2012, Rs 1.25 billion had been disbursed to initiate different projects including road safety measures, mobile ambulances and Help Centres on all motorways and highways.
Talking to Pakistan Today, Luk said Rs 200 million had been utilised to ensure road safety measures and different workshops and training sessions had been arranged to create road awareness among the public. The IG said that the Motorway Police had also initiated a project to make new driving licenses and driving institutes would be formed at the district level all over the country for this purpose.
Commenting on the prevailing cold weather and fog, Luk said commuters should avoid travelling on the Lahore-Multan road and Salam Interchange during late hours and follow instructions aired on electronic media. Pakistan is currently dealing with the menace of terrorism and the Motorway Police has initiated a project worth Rs 70 million to scan suspected vehicles and contain their movement, the IG said.
The Motorway Police is going to establish help centres and effective patrolling on motorways in the coming month to facilitate commuters and passengers on motorways. The help centres will be established every 10 km and an effective patrolling mechanism including four vehicles and one mobile ambulance will be established after every 50 km, Zafar said, adding that these help centers will be equipped with first-aid and other emergency facilities.
Overloading is a major challenge for the police, as goods’ transporters and truck drivers usually exceeded the maximum weight limit, the IG said. The maximum weight capacity for trucks on motorways is 56 tonnes and roads and motorways are being damaged due to over loading, he added.
Luk said the government had been requested to appoint vehicle examiners for motorways to ensure the fitness of vehicles and avert any untoward accidents. The Motorway Police is committed to facilitate passengers and commuters and passengers should also cooperate with the authorities, he said.