After extending the datelines for the installation of Vehicle Location Tracking Device (VLTD) and Panic Button four times, the Odisha government has finally issued a fresh notification, making the installation of the devices mandatory from October 1 and December 31 for new and old vehicles respectively.
As per the notification issued by the State Transport Authority (STA), the installation of Vehicle Location Tracking Device and Panic buttons are mandatory for vehicles including passenger buses, educational institutions’ buses, luxury cabs, maxi cabs, motor cabs, omni buses, private service vehicles, goods carriage vehicles operating on National Permit, vehicles carrying hazardous and explosive materials and ambulances. The objective of the decision is to track and monitor the vehicles plying on the roads and to ensure passenger safety, especially the women and child passengers.
While new vehicle owners will install the two devices at the time of purchase from October 1, the dateline fixed for the old vehicles is December 31.
“Suppose someone purchases a new vehicle and doesn’t install the devices, then he can’t get his vehicle registered. Similarly, if old vehicle owners fail to install the devices, they can’t apply for fitness after January,” informed joint commissioner of STA, Diptiranjan Patra.
According to the STA, there will be a command control centre and it will be connected to the emergency, rescue, support system managed by the Police department. In case a panic button is pressed, the vehicle’s location can be tracked easily and necessary help can be delivered.
For this, infrastructure is being developed. While the devices of six companies have successfully passed the testing, a company has already set up a fitment centre. Such fitment centre would come up in all the districts.
However, the Bus Owners’ Association and experts are against the decision. They said this is being done without infrastructure and awareness in place.
“The police stations are yet to come up with the systems to respond panic buttons. The government should implement this after equipping the police stations with the necessary infrastructure. At the same time, the buses are also not running as per their permit timings. This should also be taken care of,” said the president of the State Private Bus Owners’ Association, Debendra Sahu.
When asked, road safety expert Subrat Nanda said, “Since it is connected with road safety, the government should give a subsidy of 50%. This apart, the government should create awareness among vehicle owners regarding the benefits of the installation of the devices. For this, a year’s time should be given to the people. Then, people would come on their own to install the devices.”