NTC loses its way with costly GPS for buses

A Rs 100 million government project to install global positioning systems (GPS) on private buses has failed, prompting an audit query into the matter.

The project was mooted in 2010 after commuters complained of violence and inappropriate behaviour in buses. Most reports were related to violence against women, sexual harassment and insensitive or indifferent treatment towards the differentlyabled, injured and clergy.

The National Transportation Commission (NTC) had aimed to monitor all buses installed with GPS and, in the event of a complaint against the bus driver or conductor, to contact the relevant bus via an “auto answer phone” that compelled them to respond. Some buses were to also have CCTV cameras in them.

The NTC procured the equipment through tender in 2013. Under the supervision of then Private Transport Services Minister C.B. Ratnayake, around 2,000 buses were fitted with GPS. Bus owners were asked to bear a part of the cost.

It was found that by the beginning of this year more than 600 GPS units were out of service, said Amal Kumarage, acting NTC Chairman. “Moreover, there was no proper system to analyse the data received from these GPS equipment for which around Rs. 5 million was spent annually,” he added.

“Sadly, even though nearly Rs. 100 million was spent by the commission on this venture, there has been little institutional development to manage it,” Prof. Kumarage continued. “In short, there was no benefit from this. There are also audit queries we have to answer now.

“It is evident that even though procurement was done urgently there was no professional direction given to utilise the benefit of these facilities for improving the service provided to passengers or to the bus owners.”

The director in charge of the project resigned. The NTC is currently studying how the scheme could be recovered, Prof. Kumarage said. He was hopeful that within the next two to three months the initiative could be developed to provide maximum information to passengers, bus owners and the regulator.

The objective is more efficient management of the 3,200 inter-provincial bus operations, 1,200 Sisu Sariya buses and the countrywide operation of Gami Sariya rural buses as well as the Nisi Sariya night buses.