Odisha STA makes Vehicle Location Tracking Device, Panic Buttons mandatory from Oct 1; here are details 

The State Transport Authority (STA) has made the fitment of Vehicle Location Tracking Device (VLTD) and Panic Buttons mandatory for all vehicles except for two-wheelers, rickshaws and three-wheelers. 

The STA has issued a notification in this regard. 

“In pursuance of directions issued by Ministry of Road Transport & Highways; the fitment of Vehicle Location Tracking Device and Panic buttons for the vehicles as specified under Rule 125H; sub-rule 5 of rule 90 and sub-rule 1 of rule 129 of CMVR, 1989 has been made mandatory vide Commerce & Transport (Transport) Department Notification No. TRN-LCMISC-0001-201/81541T dated 17.07.2023,” read the notification. 

Regarding the necessity of making the Vehicle Location Tracking Device and Panic buttons mandatory, the STA states, “The objective of this project is to track and monitor the vehicles plying on the roads and to ensure the passenger safety, especially the women and child passengers.”

The 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. 

Here is the dateline for applicability of VLTD:

New Vehicles registered on or after 01.10.2023 of the above-specified vehicles shall have to be fitted with AIS 140 VLTO Devices and Panic Buttons at the time of registration.

Old vehicles registered on or before 30.09.2023 of the above-specified vehicles shall have to be fitted with AIS 140 VLTD Devices and Panic Buttons by 31. 12.2023.

If the VLTD Device is not fitted in the above-specified vehicles, then new vehicles shall not be registered on or after October 1. Similarly, old vehicles registered on or before 30.09.2023, the vehicles owners shall not be able to make the transactions in Vahan like Fitness certificate (FC), Transfer of Ownership (TO), Permit, National Permit Authorization etc. with effect from January 1, 2024. 

The procedure for fitment of VLTD device:

The vehicle owners have the liberty to choose any VLTD device from the available VLTD Manufacturers approved by the Government of Odisha.

The vehicle owners can check the list of approved vendors and the nearest Retro Fitment Centre (RFC) available in their district by visiting the Transport Department website http://odishatransport.gov.in/ and https:llvltd.odishatransport.gov.in/.