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Supreme Court directs states to ensure transport vehicles install tracking devices and emergency buttons
The bench asked states and UTs to file fresh status report showing compliance of installing SLDs.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed states and Union territories to urgently address enforcement of Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR) requiring transport vehicles carrying passengers to have speed governors, vehicle location devices and an emergency button for the safety of passengers.
In an order passed in a public interest litigation (PIL) on road safety reforms, a bench of justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan observed that the provision for speed governors under Rule 118 of CMVR and vehicle location tracking device (VLTD) along with emergency button under Rule 125H are being followed in breach.
“Having lane driving will reduce accidents but how to inculcate it. Most drivers may be illiterate but lane driving is something the government must focus on,” the bench said, after it was told that as per a 2024 data released by Parliament, less than 5% transport vehicles have speed-limiting devices (SLD) while VLTD is installed in less than 1% vehicles.
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The bench said, “The VLTD is something that will ensure safety of passengers, especially women, elderly and children,” as it directed states and UTs to “strictly enforce Rule 125H by installing VLTD and panic button in a time-bound and verifiable manner in all new and existing vehicles.” Further, it held that fitness certificates or permits shall not be issued to such public service vehicles which flout this condition.
On compliance with Rule 118, the bench asked states and UTs to file fresh status report showing compliance of installing SLDs. The court directed the MoRTH to have talks with manufacturers to have SLDs and VLTDs with panic buttons pre-installed in all new vehicles and asked states to retrofit existing vehicles with these devices.
The court asked states and UTs to integrate the compliance data with the centralised VAHAN portal.
The court said, “It is disturbing that less than 1% transport vehicles have VLTD,”
The court posted the matter in September to consider compliance of its directions and asked the Centre to file an updated response by the next date of hearing.
