Delhi: Nearly 4,000 DTC buses untrackable due to defective GPS
Lakhs of Delhiites commuting by buses operated by Delhi Transport Corporation could be at risk as the GPS (global positioning system) devices installed in these buses are out-of-order. DTC is unable to track as many as 3,944 buses, endangering the safety of passengers as well as buses. Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal System (DIMTS) is responsible for GPS installation and maintenance in DTC and cluster buses.
DTC buses' situation violates a Delhi HC order of 2010 when the GPS project was launched and assigned to DIMTS, in which Delhi's government holds 49% stake. Seven years later, the devices are "non-workable"; even before, when they weren't dysfunctional, they failed to track buses in real-time. Delhi Government would terminate the DIMTS contract and seek a Rs. 35cr refund for the project cost.
Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said the project failed and the agencies are engaged in a blame-game. The government's internal report said GPS devices were initially installed on bus roofs with adhesive but were later covered with metal-casing that affected the performance. The devices couldn't give accurate locations and stopped working once the bus engines were turned off; also, their batteries were never replaced.
The internal report stated: "DIMTS failed to perform its responsibility as single point of source for implementation of the AVLS (Automatic Vehicle Location System) project of transport department. The technicians deployed by DIMTS were untrained, inadequate and inefficient."
