Delhi based agency is consultant for GPS in public transport vehicles

The transport department has zeroed in on Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System Limited (DIMTS) as the agency to render consultancy services for the implementation of GPS/GPRS in public service vehicles in the city. The consultant would offer services that include carrying out analysis, bid process management,

which includes empanelment of device vendors for in-vehicle devices, back-end data centre, city command and control centre, project supervision and operation and management of call centre. The installation of GPS/GPRS in public service vehicles comes in the wake of several crimes reported against passengers, particularly women,

while travelling in public service vehicles, such as auto rickshaws, taxis and buses. Nearly 1.9 lakh vehicles including RTC buses are catering to the needs of travelling public in Greater Hyderabad. The number of public service vehicles has increased from 79,132 to 1,01,212 during the last ten years.

A senior official of the transport department said that with the implementation of GPS in vehicles many problems could be addressed. Majority of the complaints received are against auto rickshaws. It would become easy to verify the antecedents of drivers and tracking the vehicle would become easy.

A centralised control room would be set up to track all vehicles. An official said that it would be beneficial to both owners as well as passengers. It is needed to strengthen the system of enforcement and to take deterrent action against the offenders. Earlier, the government had decided to implement surveillance in public transport vehicles and had sent a team to Mumbai to analyse the working conditions of their GPS system.