Gurgaon, Dec 20 (IANS): Vehicles used by companies in Gurgaon to ferry employees will have to be equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) within a month, the district administration said Friday.

Keeping in view the safety of working women, District Magistrate Shekhar Vidyarthi invoked Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 under which it has been made mandatory for the BPO sectors, call centres, business establishments and corporate sectors to equip their vehicles, used for picking up and dropping employees, with GPS system within a month.

"Gurgaon, the millennium city, has become hub of globally known corporate sectors, IT firms, financial services, educational institutions. A large number of young women are working in these sectors, especially in BPOs and call centres in the city.

"Therefore, the safety of women employees is of paramount necessity. Most of the women working in corporate sectors and other sectors are mainly dependant on vehicles engaged to pick and drop by the business establishments. These vehicles are provided by the car rental companies," Vidyarthi said.

"Since these vehicles are not fitted with GPS systems, it becomes very difficult to track the movements and location of such vehicles during emergency situations. So, keeping in view the safety of the working women, GPS was must," the district magistrate added.

The orders will come into force with immediate effect and shall remain in force till further orders.

Violators of these orders will be punished under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code.