Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 27: VLT Dealer’s Association J&K Jammu has expressed concern over misleading information being spread by some transporters regarding installation of tracking devices in the vehicles.
Addressing a joint press conference Association president, Javed Bhat said many of them are distributors/ dealers of Vehicle Location Tracking devices (VLT devices) in the UT of J&K and are focused towards effective implementation of the initiative of the Government of India and Transport Department of J&K UT for mandatory fitment of AIS 140 compliant VLT Devices in the public service vehicles and goods vehicles.
He said following the tragic gang rape of a young woman in Delhi in the year 2012 (the “Nirbhaya” incident), the Government of India set up a Committee headed by late Justice (Retd.) JS Verma to recommend amendments of Criminal Laws to enable address the issue of high rates crime against women. Amongst the several issues looking into by the committee, the Committee also looked into the issue of provision of adequate safety measures and amenities for women. In this regard, the Committee had given several recommendations, one of them being that “all buses should be fitted with tamper proof GPS systems.”
Taking a step towards implementing the aforementioned recommendation of the Committee, the Central Government on 28.11.2016 issued a Notification, amending the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989 by introducing Rule 125-H of those Rules making the fitment of Vehicle Location Tracking devices with Emergency Panic Button mandatory for public service vehicles and goods vehicles with national permit in the country.
Some Transport associations of J&K for their vested interests and malafide intentions want to do away with this mandate of Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Government of India as well as the Transport Department, UT of J&K towards compliance of the same. The transport unions of J&K have been misleading without knowing the facts behind notification of Rule 125H wherein its objective is focused towards safety and security of women and children at the time of distress.
“We strongly condemn and oppose the misrepresentations of the transport associations in J&K and request the Transport Department to neither encourage or support such unlawful and illegitimate demands of these transporters,” they added.
