Tamil Nadu Bus GPS and Panic Buttons: Rs 17.99 Crore Cleared for 13,490 Buses

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has sanctioned Rs 17.99 crore to fit GPS-based vehicle location tracking devices and panic buttons in state-run buses, an official release said on Monday, 9 November. The money covers 13,490 vehicles across the state’s eight transport corporations, and 13,776 emergency panic button units, according to a PTI report from Chennai. The Chief Minister has asked officials to speed up the rollout.

An Alarm Button Inside Every Bus

When a passenger presses the panic button, a distress signal goes straight to a Central Control Centre. Operators can then locate the bus and call local police and other authorities. The devices follow the AIS 140 standard, the national specification for vehicle tracking and emergency buttons in public transport.

The tracking units will also report each bus’s location, speed and whether it is keeping to its route. The government has said the aim is safer travel for women and children, along with faster corrective action when a bus runs late or strays off route.

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Announced in the Assembly in September

Transport Minister A Vijay Tamilan Parthiban first announced the plan in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on 8 September, according to PTI. Monday’s release marks the release of funds. The scheme applies to every state transport undertaking, not a single corporation or city.

The Vijay government’s Tamil Nadu coverage on IPB News includes the Chief Minister’s letter to the Prime Minister on Mekedatu.

No Fitting Deadline Yet

The release did not give a date by which all 13,490 buses will carry the devices, or say which firm will supply them. It also did not say whether the panic buttons will be tested on a fixed schedule once installed. Those details are likely to come with the tender and installation orders.

Source: Based on reporting by ThePrint (PTI) and Dinakaran.

Image: Wikimedia Commons.