Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Jun 21: The state government has mandated the installation of Vehicle Location Tracking (VLT) equipment and emergency panic buttons on public vehicles to ensure passenger safety. Failure to comply will result in the withholding of the vehicle's Fitness Certificate (FC).

Incidents of sexual harassment and theft have been reported on public vehicles in Karnataka. To address these issues, the government has implemented the installation of VLT and panic buttons.

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If the panic button is pressed in cases of passenger health emergencies, sexual harassment, assault, inappropriate comments, or theft, a message is immediately sent to the command center. The command center then relays the information to local police, helping to prevent potential incidents.

The state government has set a deadline of November 10 this year, for the installation of the equipment and button in vehicles. Despite five months remaining until the deadline, the transport department has already started withholding FC renewals, causing frustration among vehicle owners and drivers.

The rule applies to taxis with yellow number plates, cabs, private buses, and national permit goods carriers.

Anand K, president of the Taximen’s and Maxicab Association of Dakshina Kannada, said, “The mandate for VLT and panic button installation in all public vehicles is problematic. This will be challenging for vehicle owners in rural areas. Why must we install VLT systems from government-specified organizations? The Union government has set the VLT price at Rs 7,500, while the state government is charging Rs 9,500, which is inconvenient for public vehicle owners.”