Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said three CCTVs, 10 panic buttons and an automatic vehicle location system will be installed in each of the existing 5,500 Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses.
He said the work award for the scheme was approved by the Cabinet on Thursday. The project is estimated to cost ₹150 crore and is expected to be completed in seven months but the systems will be installed in 100 buses this month.
“All new cluster buses are already equipped with CCTV cameras, panic buttons and GPS. This will enhance the safety of woman commuters and enable to set up an app-based live bus info system,” the Chief Minister said, adding: “We have been trying to complete the tendering process in this regard for quite a long time. Earlier three tenders failed in the last three-four years. Now the tendering process has been succeeded. If anyone presses the panic button, immediately the control room will be alerted and help will be sent.”
Mr. Kejriwal said there will be a centralised command room to control and monitor the entire system. “There are two major advantages to this project. First, CCTV cameras and panic buttons will help prevent security threats and enhance women's safety in buses. Secondly, commuters will get the location and expected time of arrival of the buses on a mobile app powered by GPS-based Automatic Vehicle Location System. Earlier, it was uncertain for the commuters to know about the schedule of the buses,”he added.
Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said the app already exists but since all the buses cannot be tracked, the app is not fully functional. “Once the entire system is in place, information on buses — location, time of arrival, etc. — will be displayed on the bus stops across the city”, the Chief Minister said.
“We had asked for Nirbhaya Fund to the Central government but they have not given us,” he said when asked whether the government will be using the fund for the project.
