Auto rickshaws in Delhi to come fitted with GPS by March

Last year, the government had ordered that all auto rickshaws in Delhi should use GPS.  According to reports by Times of India, auto rickshaws in Delhi will be fitted with GPS, beginning in March, this year. The transport department has asked DIMTS, which is the agency in-charge of the project to list out vendors that will supply GPS devices to auto rickshaws. This process of empanelling vendors to provide the GPS to the three-wheeled scooter rickshaws (TSRs) may take about a month. Once this is done, the government will issue a notice for installation of GPS in auto rickshaws.

GPS for autos soon

"We will have to issue a notice giving details of the specifications vendors need to meet. Their applications would then be evaluated by us and the entire process is likely to take 40 days. Auto-rickshaw owners can then get the GPS fitted from these authorized vendors," said a DIMTS official.

While DIMTS has been asked to begin work on the GPS-enabled meters, the government authorities will be creating a comprehensive policy for auto rickshaws, which will add 45,000 new autos as a part of a court directive. Auto rickshaw drivers are known to tweak the meters and overcharge commuters, the meters fitted with GPS and printer in the new autos will inform the commuter about the route taken and also provide a receipt for the fare. Government sources revealed that auto rickshaw owners will be given time to install the device supposedly about six months, so that all the autos will be fitted with GPS.

Reportedly, the new 45,000 three-wheeled scooter rickshaws along with the already existing new 45,000 will have to equip a GPS device. The end of last year Loop Mobile had also teamed up with Rickshawale.com to offer a convenient and safe service 24x7. With verified drivers and regular fares, the auto driver is given a tracking device with a Loop Mobile SIM that will provide the location of the auto at all times.