All public service buses, taxis, and autorickshaws in Tamil Nadu, about 14 lakh in all, should set up car location monitoring units (VLTD). The units will likely be linked to a 24×7 management room to be arrange on the transport division’s headquarters at Guindy. After the Nirbhaya case 13 years in the past, a number of courts had requested states to insist on VLTDs for public service automobiles and in 2018 the Centre had additionally issued a directive.
State dwelling secretary Dheeraj Kumar on Aug 26 issued a govt order directing the transport and highway security commissioner to make sure trackers on all public service automobiles. Based mostly on this, the transport division on Sept 3 referred to as for expressions of curiosity from eligible operators to produce the units and supply 24×7 service and help.
Transport commissioner R Gajalakshmi stated trackers are necessary to get health, registration, allow issuance, and renewals. “When each operator comes for FC, RTOs have been instructed to verify for the VLTD. This will likely be linked to the upcoming 24×7 state management room being established at our transport headquarters in Guindy,” she stated, including that about 14 lakh automobiles are to be introduced underneath the online.
Gajalakshmi stated the live-tracking will assist the govt. monitor security of passengers throughout late-night journey, assist in emergency response in case of accidents on highways, and alert police in case of crimes wherever within the state.
Whereas the union ministry pointers solely mandated GPS trackers for commute automobiles, the state govt has included vehicles carrying items as nicely. Officers stated this may increasingly assist in monitoring accidents in addition to stopping crimes akin to sand mining at evening.
S Yuvaraj, head of the Tamil Nadu State Sand Lorry Proprietor’s Federation, has petitioned the govt. to take away vehicles and lorries from the mandate. “We do not carry passengers. We have already got GPS trackers, however now the govt. desires us to buy from its registered distributors. What in the event that they promote the units at inflated charges,” he requested.
Personal bus operators additionally objected to the govt. asking them to purchase the units from distributors registered with it. “We have already got GPS trackers licensed by central norms for years. The Supreme Courtroom directed all govts to ascertain a management room, however TN hasn’t carried out so for years. In the event that they do, we are able to simply give entry to them,” stated A Anbalagan, president, Tamil Nadu Omni Bus Affiliation.
Sivasubramanian Jayaraman of the Institute of Transportation and Improvement Coverage stated along with guaranteeing security and curbing crime, VLTDs may even allow information assortment. “Presently, for highway initiatives, they do month-to-month surveys for as much as six months, and this information is used for initiatives for years. Reside monitoring will assist in finding out visitors patterns throughout the state,” he added.
