Uttar Pradesh: Vehicle tracking, panic buttons to boost safety of women passengers

Project being expedited in view of Yogi government’s renewed focus on safety of women

The Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System Ltd, a joint venture of the Delhi government and IDFC Foundation, would help Uttar Pradesh install the Vehicle Location Tracking System (VLTS) devices and emergency panic buttons in all the public passenger vehicles to improve security for women, officials said. The project is expected to begin by the end of the current financial year.

In January 2018, the Centre issued a notification making it mandatory for all public transport vehicles, including buses and taxis, to have VLTS devices and panic buttons to especially ensure the safety of women passengers. (HT file)

“We have appointed DIMTS our consultant to suggest which technology to use, how to integrate VLTS with the control and command centre, and how to execute the overall project to achieve the best results,” transport commissioner Dheeraj Sahu said. “We want to roll out the project within the next six months as a long-term measure to ensure women’s safety in public transport vehicles.”

In January 2018, the Centre issued a notification making it mandatory for all public transport vehicles, including buses and taxis, to have VLTS devices and panic buttons to especially ensure the safety of women passengers.

As per the notification, all new public transport vehicles, except autorickshaws and e-rickshaws, registered on or after January 2019, were to be equipped with VLTS. Respective states were supposed to notify the date of installing VLTS devices and emergency buttons in the older vehicles registered up to December 31, 2018.

Officials said the project has been delayed in Uttar Pradesh because of the lack of control and command centre to keep real-time track of the movement of vehicles and to generate alerts for police to act when a passenger is in trouble.

They added the transport department is now speeding up the project in view of the state government’s increased focus on women safety as a part of the ongoing 180-day Mission Shakti. The Centre will provide the state money to implement the project.

A proposed control and command centre is expected to be integrated with the police’s dial 112 for quick response to passengers in distress.