All public transport vehicles must have GPS by 20 Feb: Centre

New Delhi: The government has set a deadline for public transport vehicles running in major cities with a population of over 10 lakh to install GPS devices by 20 February, this month.  According to a ministry of road transport and highways circular, owners of public service vehicles are required to get GPS ( Global Positioning System) installed in their vehicles by February 20, 2014 failing which necessary action as deemed fit shall be taken against the defaulters. The road ministry had earlier asked passenger vehicle owners to install these devices by 30 September, 2013. In January, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs had approved a Rs 1,405-crore project to track and monitor public transport and provide alarm buttons for alerting authorities. The project involves setting up of closed circuit television (CCTVs) and using GPS to ensure safety and security of women and girls in distress. This project is part of the Nirbhaya Fund for women safety. It will be implemented within two years after allocation of funds to set up a National Level Vehicle Security and Tracking System and City Command and Control Centre with installation of GPS, CCTV in public road transport. The policy was formulated in the wake of gang rape of a 23-year old paramedic in a moving bus, on December 16, 2012. This victim died in a Singapore hospital on 29 December. PTI