UP Transport Dept to install location tracking devices in vehicles to ensure safe travel for all

The Uttar Pradesh Transport Department has initiated a drive to facilitate safe travel for all. The authority will equip about 4 lakh government and privately operated passenger automobiles with Vehicle Location Tracking Device (VLTD), to enable easy and immediate tracking in case of emergency or distress. Several buses, radio taxis and cabs will soon feature the new black-box instrument, that can also trace the route of the vehicles.

Transport Dept has invited online tenders to expedite VLTD installation

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A team of officials at the Transport Department have fast-tracked the operations of the VLTD programme, under the supervision of Commissioner Dheeraj Sahu. As such, a digital means has been adopted to invite tenders on the portal. Each VLTD is said to cost around ₹4,000, read reports. These devices will be integrated with the control and command centre which will be set up at the headquarters of the UP State Road Transport Corporation at Tedhi Kothi, in Qiaserbagh, Lucknow.

In case of any distress or emergency, the tracking device will assist to track the vehicle. For this, a 22 feet video wall will also be put up at the control centre, to monitor commercial passenger vehicles at any given time of the day. It will foster a safe travel experience for the passengers, especially female commuters and those traveling to remote or isolated regions of the state.

Ensuring privacy with a coded security

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The department has decided to install the tracking devices on the basis of the serial number of the vehicles. This will facilitate a systematic grip and monitoring of automobiles. At the same time, the department assured that no foreign satellite will be able to track motor activity via these because of their coded security, similar to that of army vehicles.

Meanwhile, the Central Government has approved the installation of AIS 140 code devices. With the help of these, all the data recorded by the GPS systems will be transmitted to the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System. From this point, it will be resignalled to the Transport Commissioner's set up, the Vehicle Tracking Platform and will complete the circuit of information.

Prabhat Pandey, RTO (IT Cell) Transport Department said that the Vehicle Location Tracking Device will be installed in buses of government and private operators in the first phase. After this, other commercial vehicles will be rolled in for this benefit.

Along with the location tracking device, vehicles will also be installed with panic buttons. Each bus will have 20 panic buttons that will alert the Police Command Room at UP 112, in case of any emergency. All relevant information will be relayed from this central source to the nearest mobile van, to deploy rapid assistance.