LAHORE: The National Highways & Motorways Police (NH&MP) have decided to replicate the Public Service Vehicle (PSV) Management System in other motorways after assessing success of this scheme on Lahore-Abdul Hakeem Motorway (Lahore-Multan).

The senior command of the NH&MP declared the project a model one when it transpired that no fatal accident occurred on the section of Lahore-Abdul Hakeem Motorway since Jan 1, 2022 due to its successful implementation.

The NH&MP had linked its monitor-ing system with all the PSVs and the companies to check violations including rash driving and lane violation, quality of tyres and the professional skills of the drivers.

An official said the project had helped overcome accidents on the section where it was launched and executed a few months ago. He said another major purpose of the initiative was to preserve data of each PSV including its drivers` particulars, details of PSV companies, daily trips of vehicles and drivers.

The sector M-3 launched the PSV Management System on Lahore-Abdul Hakeem Motorway as a pilot projectbefore replicating it to other sections of the motorway af ter assessing its success.

The official said the high command of the NH&MP believed that the better use of modern and intelligent technology could prevent accidents and loss of precious lives.

`The Sector M-3 of Motorway Central -1 Zone has initiated the PSV management system to save precious human lives by using technology and monitor and maintain a database of PSVs plying on Motorway M-3,` the of ficial said.

He said an android application was developed for briefing officers of theNH&MP to preserve data of each PSV, including its drivers` particulars, details of PSV companies, daily trips of the vehicles and the drivers. The NH&MP field officers inspect PSVs, especially tyres and fitness of vehicles, before commencing the journey for the safetyofonboardpassengers.

The system was smart enough to pop up notifications when any discrepancy was observed while inspecting the PSV. Further, entry of any PSV company, a specific vehicle and a particular driver having rash driving history can be restricted to ply on motorway through the same application.

Besides, the motorway police gotaccess to the trackers of all PSVs and monitored drivers` behaviour from the control room 24/7. In case of speeding or rash driving, the same PSV was stopped on the motorway by sending its details to the field formation.

The field officers were updated about the status of the driving licence and fitness certificate verification of the PSV in question to take action.

`It is evident from the facts and figures which depicted that compared to years 2019 and 2020, in which six PSVs accidents each had occurred, the figure dropped to two accidents in the years 2021, while 2022 remained accident-f ree till date,` he said.Answering a question, he said the NH&MP had to face many challenges and hurdles as the PSV companies and the drivers were reluctant to share information and provide tracker access in the beginning stage of the project. However, when its benefits surfaced gradually, they started to cooperate, the official said, adding that one of the leading companies disclosed to the NH&MP that due to the project the accident-free trips helped them save hundreds of millions of rupees.

He said the NH&MP was preparing another proposal to replicate the project to the other motorways.