Daily Times

Around 25,000 online cars of Uber and Careem in the country’s capital do not rescue services in their vehicles in case of emergencies.

Following a rise in the number of accidents caused by the drivers of these companies, the authorities have warned both the companies to install the basics under a signed Memorandum of Understanding as soon as possible.

The Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad Emergency & Disaster Management fire prevention, protection advisory unit of the fire brigade headquarter issued a warning notice to both companies to adopt the sops signed under the Memorandum of understanding (MOU) to prevent human losses.

According to the details around 30,000 to 35,000 cars are registered with these companies as commercial carriers but hardly in some cars the basic equipments are installed to get rid of the fire which is the clear violation of the “fire prevention and life safety regulation 2010” of the Capital Development Authority.

The notice added that according to the standard operating procedures signed in the MOU, both companies are bound to install fire extinguishers, First-Aid Kits, Safety cons and fire blankets to save the precious lives as well properties of their costumer and drivers during emergency but they didn’t adopt the safety measures to save human lives during accidents and both companies are violating the regulation of the civic agency.

The notice added that following sparks in incidents in the urban areas of the capital the cars haven’t fire extinguishers to fight the fire and smoke as well there are not first-aid kits or blankets in the car to provide it to the customers as well the captain for life safety.

A source in the department added that we bound both companies to adopt the measures but they didn’t install the basics despite from various promises due to which the collateral damages are occurring and thousands of people while using both the car cabs lives are also at risk peak due to the negligence of both companies. He added the department is also making policies to bound owners of cars having heavy engines in the capital to install the safety gadgets on emergency basis for safety measures.

It’s pertinent to mention that the mini car service of both companies having poor standard cars and on daily basis according to the fire brigades department incidents are occurring in a results of losses of precious human losses.

The notice requested the Islamabad traffic police to nominate a suitable officer for the purpose of implementing the rules and regulations.

Uber and Careem authorities remained unavailable for comment.

Published in Daily Times, November 18^th 2018.