PANJIM: The Transport Department’s command centre for locating vehicles will come up at Porvorim, sources said.
According to the sources, land for the centre has been acquired and construction of the building is likely to start soon.
“The office will come up at Porvorim and land for the same has already been acquired. The centre will have five motor vehicle inspectors who in coordination with traffic police will keep a track of incidents occurring on roads. They will track movement of vehicles. The VLTD fitted in vehicles have panic buttons which if required can be pressed by the passengers. If anybody is in distress then the message will be forwarded to police. If any action is required to be taken against any vehicle then the message will be sent to us,” a senior Transport Department official said.
According to the Department of Transport, till October last year digital meters were installed in 15,494 taxis while Vehicle Location Tracking Devices (VLTD) were installed in 510 buses in the State so far.
Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho had in August last year warned to cancel the taxi permits of all those vehicles that fail to install digital meters and vehicle location tracking devices (VLTD).
According to the Minister, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has made it mandatory to fit VLTD and emergency buttons under Rule 125 (H) of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules 1989 and the digital meters for taxis are mandatory as per the High Court order.
