The centre would also help reduce accidents due to overspeeding. (Infographics)
CHENNAI: The Transport Department would soon set up a command and control centre to monitor transport vehicles and improve the safety of commuters using public, private vehicles.
To improve the safety of commuters, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had in 2016 made it mandatory for public transport vehicles to have the device and at least one emergency button. Such vehicles, including government and private school and college buses, call taxis, omnibuses, tourist buses, minibuses, and trucks, are now being registered only if they are fitted with VLTD and panic buttons.
“We are going to set up a command and control centre at the new Transport Commissioner office being constructed in Guindy, from where it will be possible to monitor the location and speed of transport vehicles,” said a senior official in the Transport and Road Safety Commissionerate.
The centre would also help reduce accidents due to overspeeding. “As the vehicular speed can be monitored through the VLTD, drivers would be forced to drive at lower speeds,” the official said, noting how the Kerala police used data from the VLTD control centre in a fatal accident case to convict an omnibus driver who denied overspeeding.
In December 2020, the Transport Department had mandated that fitness certificates for public service vehicles would be renewed only if they install VLTDs. However, the department was forced to withdraw the circular and wait till the command and control centre is established.
