RTO to Monitor the Movement of Private Buses through GPS
Mangaluru: With the increase of accidents due to rash and negligent driving of bus drivers of private buses, and also due to the various complaints by commuters to the RTO and also to the Police Commissioner during the Phone-In programme, on the rash and errant private bus drivers, which put the life of pedestrians and motorists in danger, the RTO has decided that all private buses in the city will have to be fitted with Global Positioning System (GPS) in the nearest future.
This move taken up by the RTO is to keep a check on errant bus drivers on their speed as they will be on the radar of the Regional Transport Office (RTO) throughout their trips. The move comes at a time when the complaints of private bus drivers using the unauthorized roads and violating timings at bus shelters are on the rise. The RTO will take up the project in association with the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) under the Smart City project.
Speaking to media, G S Hegde, deputy commissioner of transport and in-charge senior RTO said, “RTO office will introduce a centralized vehicle tracking system in its jurisdiction to track the buses.With the introduction of the GPS, the speed at every interval, the route taken and the time taken at the bus shelters will be tracked among other details. The government had passed a resolution in this regard in March 2016. However, the resolution could not be acted upon in the city due to various technical reasons. The decks have been cleared now, as I had raised the issue with the government during a meet convened in Bengaluru on January 29. The issue will also be discussed during the district road safety committee meeting to be held on February 5. A central control room will be set up in the office of the commissioner for transport or the MCC to monitor the movement of all vehicles. The civic body will also provide all technical support.”
In the meantime, speaking over the phone to Team Mangalorean, Azeez Parthipady, president, Dakshina Kannada Bus Operators’ Association said, “I very much like this decision by RTO on behalf of the association, however, RTO needs to ensure that the fitment provided is of superior quality. Like we had installed GPRS-based tracking system in Udupi decade ago, where private bus owners had back then spent around a total of Rs 6 – 7 lakhs. Unfortunately, within few months, the systems went out of service. None of us had any clue as to who supplied and installed the equipment. So we had to remove the systems from the buses. I hope at least this time, the officials do it the right way and that is it is put into use systematically”
“Everytime we come across such new additions, the suppliers usually exert their influence over the RTO and win the bid. Later, they spend only about 20% of the cost involved over the fitment and siphon off the remaining money. We do not have any issues with the tracking system if the RTO ensures that our money is invested right,” added Azeez.
