To ensure safety of passengers, the Transport Department officials are planning to install Internet of Things (IoT) devices in the auto-rickshaws in the city. The devices will also include a panic button for the passengers to press in case of emergencies, apart from having a Global Positioning System (GPS) which will be monitored and tracked by the police personnel in the control room or command control centre.
This will be a pilot project in the city by the Transport Department in association with the Police Department. The Transport Department officials have received instructions from the higher-ups to make arrangements for the project, it was learnt.
According to a senior official from the Transport Department, in the first phase, they are planning to install the IoT devices in 1,000 auto-rickshaws. “There could be an official announcement with more details in the next couple of weeks,” he said.
It may be remembered that in 2019, the Transport Department had come up with a similar pilot project by installing ‘Abhaya’ IoT-based safety and security system in several auto-rickshaws. This is again a similar type of project. The officials have tentatively suggested a couple of names for the project which would be revealed soon.
According to the official, once the panic button in the auto-rickshaws is pressed, it would alert the command control room showing an emergency alert. Since the device already consists of a GPS tracking system, the vehicle’s movement can tracked by the police, by alerting the nearby beat police.
