Delhi Rolls Out Advanced Vehicle Tracking Systems for Public Transport

The Delhi government has partnered with the National Informatics Centre to upgrade vehicle tracking and emergency alert systems in public transport. The move, funded under the Nirbhaya Framework, will enhance real-time tracking and safety for commuters, and remove annual fees for vehicle tracking devices for commercial passenger vehicles.

The Delhi government has signed an MoU with the National Informatics Centre and National Informatics Centre Services Inc to upgrade the vehicle tracking devices installed on public transport vehicles in the city, according to the transport department.

The initiative aims to implement a new backend system and monitoring centre for vehicle location tracking (VLT) and emergency alert system (EAS) for such vehicles, adhering to AIS-140 standards, as per a transport department order dated September 18. The new system promises improved real-time tracking and enhanced safety for commuters.

This system upgrade, funded by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways under the Nirbhaya Framework, mandates all public vehicle owners to switch from the current DIMTS-managed system to the new backend, which will be managed by the NIC. Vehicle owners and bus operators are required to collaborate with VLT device vendors to ensure the smooth transition. Notably, Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot announced a waiver of the annual fee for VLT devices for commercial passenger vehicles. This fee exemption, which previously stood at Rs 1,416 including GST, will benefit around 1.5 lakh public vehicle owners across Delhi.

According to the latest order, the transition to the new monitoring system will be free of charge for vehicle owners. In Delhi, there are about 2.44 lakh public vehicles, including autorickshaws, taxis, and RTVs, with over 85,000 autorickshaws already exempted from the tracking fees. The new system aims to bolster public safety by enabling real-time tracking and emergency response for public service vehicles across Delhi.

(With inputs from agencies.)