Port Blair, Apr 09: Safety of commuters especially females and other vulnerable persons is a prime concern area while traveling in public passenger transport vehicles like Cabs, Taxis, Public Buses etc. Hence, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Govt. of India has proposed a system to enhance the safety of the women and the girl children by equipping with Vehicle Location Tracking Device (VLTD) and Emergency Buttons for raising alerts in case of emergency in all the public passenger transport vehicles.
Accordingly, the Ministry has amended the CMVR 1989 by inserting Rule 125 That confirms to AIS-140 Standard and the Commercial Vehicles (except 2 & 3 wheelers) are required to be fitted with VLT Device (GPS) and emergency button.
In order to implement this initiative, the Transport Department, A & N Administration is in the process of registering firms for fitment of GPS based VLTD with panic button in the Public Service vehicles (except two & three wheeler) plying in this UT.
All the Public Service Vehicle owners (except two & three wheelers) shall comply with the Rule and get their vehicles fitted with Vehicle Location Tracking Device along with Panic button through any of the registered firms before the timeline as notified vide Andaman & Nicobar Gazette Notification No.17 dated 20.02.2023 which is detailed as under:-
SNo. Category of Vehicle Date for completion of fitment
Educational Institution Buses 30.04.2023
Stage Carriage 30.04.2023
Contract Carriage 31.05.2023
Goods Vehicle 31.05.2023
No annual fitness of the vehicle shall be granted without fitment of VLTDs after the timeline, a press release from Transport Department said.
