Govt floats tenders for CCTVS in 5k DTC buses

NEWDELHI: The Delhi government on Thursday floated tenders for installing CCTV cameras, panic buttons and GPS in 5,000 Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses.

State transport minister Kailash Gahlot termed the move as ‘a big step forward’ in making buses the ‘safest’ public transport system in the country. The step comes more than 10 days after Hindustan Times had reported on October 19 on how the project had been gathering dust despite getting all approvals from the Cabinet in June, 2017.

As per the request for proposal document, the i nitiative of installing internet protocol based CCTV cameras (three in each bus) will provide prompt integrated emergency services for security to all commuters.

To achieve this objective, IP based cameras will be installed in 5,000 of DTC and cluster scheme buses, the document said.

“Each bus will be equipped with four panic buttons, GPS, and screens to telecast the output from cameras. The video file in real time can be accessed from any location including the bus depots and command centre of the transport department,” a transport official said, adding that a pre-bid meeting will be held with interested parties on November 12.

Also, a two-way audio system will be installed that could be used for communication between the bus driver and the command centre as and when required, the official said. The project, which is estimated to cost around ₹ 140 crore, would be funded by the Central government’s ‘Nirbhaya Fund’. As a pilot project, the DTC had already installed CCTV cameras in 200 buses.