Authorities have installed QR panic buttons on around 80,000 public transport vehicles in Lahore as part of a major passenger safety programme.
The initiative was launched on the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
According to Lahore Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Syed Abdul Rahim Shirazi, traffic police teams are carrying out installation work at 45 locations across the city.
The QR panic button has been made mandatory for public transport vehicles. Authorities say the system is designed to improve passenger safety and bring transport services under better monitoring.
The programme has expanded quickly. More than 40,000 vehicles had received the QR panic buttons by mid August, while the number crossed 70,000 earlier this month. It has now reached around 80,000 vehicles.
How the QR panic button works?
The system uses a QR code rather than only a physical button.
Passengers can scan the code inside a vehicle using their smartphone. They can then access verified information about the vehicle, owner and driver.
Passengers can contact the Safe City control room through Emergency 15 during an emergency. The system supports voice calls, video calls and live chat.
It can also send the passenger’s live location and vehicle information to authorities, helping police respond more quickly in cases of harassment or other emergencies.
Special teams deployed across Lahore
Traffic teams have been deployed in every traffic sector to support the installation process. Twelve dedicated teams have been assigned specifically to rickshaws.
Authorities have also established four new licensing centres following requests from rickshaw unions.
The governments earlier plans included QR panic buttons, GPS tracking systems and dashboard cameras for such vehicles.
Action will be taken against online cab services that fail to adopt the required safety measures.
CTO Shirazi said smart traffic management and modern security features across Lahore’s transport network will be introduced.