GPS-enabled buses in Rajasthan
A first
Rajasthan will be the first state in the country where Global Positioning System will be installed in about 1,000 buses of state-owned Rajasthan State Roadways Corporation.
The installation process will begin on Tuesday. This system will not only enable authorities to keep track of long-distance buses but will also help them check rash driving and pilferage of diesel.
With the installation of GPS, travel on long-distance buses of RSRTC will become more convenient. The system will be connected with the public information system (PIS).
“As in the railways, passengers waiting at the central bus stand in Jaipur can now listen to regular announcemenst of the exact time of arrival of the buses,” said Sudhir Bhati, RSRTC spokesperson.
Usually, there are announcements when a bus departs. But with the control room connected to all 1,000 buses having this system, the Roadways will be able to pass on even minor bits of information to passengers, Bhati said.
On the other advantages of the GPS-enabled buses, Bhati said, “These buses will also have a diesel censor so that in case somebody tries to steal fuel, it will be noticed by the PIS control room.”
He said there were many cases in which RSRTC drivers were found stealing fuel and leaving buses halfway.
In the next phase, RSRTC aims at installing GPS in at least 4,500 buses. At some bus stands, including Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Ajmer, LCD screens will display the position of various buses. “There will be two LCD screens at zonal depots across the state to enable passengers to have information on buses,” an official said.
The screens will give arrival and departure times and other information in both Hindi and English.
