Delhi govt waives annual location tracking device fee for public vehicles

In a significant move, the Delhi government announced on Thursday the waiver of the annual fee for the Vehicle Location Tracking Device (VLTD) for all commercial passenger vehicles.

During a press conference, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot revealed that this decision was made following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the transport department and the National Informatics Centre (NIC) for the VLTD project.

“Previously, vehicle owners had to pay an annual fee of Rs 1,200 plus 18 per cent GST, totalling Rs 1,416. This exemption will benefit around 1.5 lakh public vehicle owners across Delhi,” Gahlot said.

He said that the exemption is a crucial step towards reducing the financial burden on public vehicle owners while ensuring the safety and security of passengers, particularly women and children.

“By utilising advanced technology like the VLTD, we are dedicated to enhancing the safety and efficiency of public transportation in Delhi,” he added.

There are approximately 2,44,312 public vehicles, including autorickshaws, taxis, and RTVs in Delhi, with around 85,000 autorickshaws among them, according to the minister.

“In addition, there are about 1.5 lakh rural services, taxis, maxi cabs, etc. In 2019, the Delhi government had already removed the annual fee of Rs 1,200 paid by autorickshaw and taxi drivers to the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System Limited (DIMTS) for vehicle tracking. Now, the Delhi government has decided to waive the annual fee for the tracking device as well,” Gahlot explained.

He further mentioned that about 1.5 lakh public vehicles have received this exemption.

“This is a major decision. Additionally, we have terminated our contract with DIMTS. Now, NIC will be responsible for tracking these vehicles,” Gahlot said.

He added that drivers had long been requesting the waiver of the fee.

Previously, public transport tracking in Delhi was handled by DIMTS, but now NIC will take over this task, according to Gahlot.

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“The NIC will also manage the command centre operations. Earlier, vehicles were required to pay Rs 1,200 for this, but they will no longer need to. This includes around 7,000 goods vehicles,” he added.

Under the Motor Vehicles Act, it is mandatory to install tracking devices in all public service vehicles.

“All Delhi government buses are equipped with CCTV cameras, panic buttons, and GPS. When the Delhi government initiated this, it wasn’t included in the guidelines of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Now, it has become mandatory to install a VLTD and emergency panic button as per the ministry’s guidelines,” the transport minister explained.

The VLTD is an advanced GPS tracking device specifically designed for vehicle tracking and monitoring, providing accurate, real-time location data. This system ensures enhanced security and is mandatory for all commercial vehicles. The device sends precise location information to the VAAHAN server, allowing for seamless and reliable real-time updates on a vehicle’s position.

According to an official statement, NIC’s state-of-the-art cloud infrastructure and monitoring centres will ensure continuous, real-time tracking of all vehicles equipped with VLTDs, thereby enhancing overall public safety. (With inputs from PTI)