Bhubaneswar: This center has expressed displeasure on the “bad progress” of the state government in the implementation of the vehicle location tracking system in public transport vehicles.
The Ministry of Transport and Highway has provided financial assistance from NIRBhaya funds to countries to implement projects for the safety of female passengers.
The state government has been asked to accelerate women’s safety projects.
“The ministry has released funds more than a year back.
But the progress is minimal.
I will urge you to agree to the highest priority to associate the project so that the target of increasing women’s safety can be achieved,” the Secretary’s Secretary was written by the Ministry of Amit Varadan to the State Department of Transportation last month.
The source said the proposed project cost was around Rs 15.40 Crore.
The center and state will share 60% and 40% of project costs, respectively.
From the center share of Rs 9.24 Crore, the center has released almost 4.19 crore rs to the state government.
Under the project, all passenger buses, mini buses, school buses and taxis / taxis will be equipped with a vehicle location tracking device (VLT) and panic keys near the chair for women’s travelers’ safety.
Women’s tourists in trouble can press the emergency button and expect a quick response from the police.
The control room or monitoring center has been established in Bhubaneswar to receive a warning from the female commuter.
“The ministry has reviewed work regularly.
According to the latest reviews held on October 8, 2021, Odisha renewed the status that the selection of implementing institutions was ongoing.
Civil work from the monitoring center has been completed.
But, the state has not proposed a timeline for the project commissioning,” said the letter The ministry.
The state government said the project would be visited soon.
“We will accelerate the process of selecting agency, which will implement the project,” said a state transportation official.
It must be noted the example of female passenger abuse in public transport vehicles has occurred regularly.
Although the state government has in 2015 asking the bus owner to install CCTV cameras in their vehicles, orders have not been implemented.
“The presence of a surveillance camera can ensure the safety of tourists, mostly women and women.
It will also help the police identify anti-social traveling by bus,” said Richa Mishra, a student.
Many bus owners expressed difficulty in installing CCTV cameras.
“Not many of us are able to buy their cameras and care.
In addition, there is a possibility of damage to the camera during the accident,” said Sitaram Tripathy, the bus owner said.