18k autos install GPS in a month, deadline extended till Feb 28

NEWDELHI: In the past one month, Delhi’s transport department has activated Global Positioning System (GPS) devices in 18,000 autorickshaws, which is nearly a 20% rise in the GPS-enabled fleet.

Seeing the positive response of its ongoing drive which started on January 20, the department has extended the deadline for commercial vehicles to get tracking devices activated. “Earlier, the department had given a deadline of February 15 for getting GPS activation. This has now been extended to February 28. As on Friday, 58,940 public service vehicles have active GPS. Until 2017 end, 37,907 vehicles had the tracking device,” the transport department said.

The department has empanelled mobile service providers who are selling SIM cards that are being fixed in GPS devices at predecided rates. Commercial vehicles owners have been saying they have not been able to install the tracking devices as they are being overcharged by mobile service providers.

“SIM providers cheat the drivers by taking full money for the annual 2G data pack, but actually they get the service only for six months or even less. The government had not authorised any seller until recently,” said Kishan Verma of the All Delhi Auto Taxi Transport Congress Union.

Nearly 75% of all public service vehicles in Delhi — including autorickshaws, taxis, buses and school vehicles — don’t have functional GPS devices, leaving them untraceable and unsafe, the latest report by government’s transport department said.