NEW DELHI: The Delhi BJP on Tuesday alleged a Rs 500 crore scam involving panic buttons installed by the transport department through vendors in private taxis and buses, a charge termed by the Kejriwal government as "baseless".
Addressing a press conference here, the leader of the opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri claimed that around Rs 500 crore were charged from operators of taxis and buses in the name of panic buttons by Delhi government's transport department since 2019.
"However, the panic buttons are non-functional because there is no control centre to act on any distress faced by the passengers. This is one of the biggest scams in the name of women's safety," he charged.
Bidhuri said that a delegation of Delhi BJP led by its president Virendra Sachdeva will meet Lt Governor V K Saxena and demand a CBI probe into the "scam".
Also, the BJP MLAs will accompany taxi and bus operators and stage a demonstration at chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence, he said.
"We will request him to show everyone how panic buttons work. Not even a single woman has been helped due to the panic button so far because there is no control room to act upon any distress signal," Bidhuri claimed.
The Kejriwal government should tell the people what happened to the Rs 500 crore it has collected in the name of panic buttons and women's safety, he said.
Bidhuri said Rs 9,000 for taxis and Rs 22,000 for buses were charged from their owners by the private vendors.
Later, the Delhi government said that the allegations made by Ramvir Bidhuri is completely "baseless".
"The safety and security of the passengers have always been the utmost priority for the Delhi government. We would like to clarify that all the necessary security measures are in place and are functioning effectively. One such measure is the installation of panic buttons in taxis and buses operating in Delhi," it said in a statement.
"These panic buttons, when pressed by passengers, immediately trigger an automated alarm that is received at the command and control centres located at Shastri Park and Kashmere Gate," said the government.
The dedicated centre, under DIMTS at Shastri Park, tracks autos, taxis and other public service vehicles fitted with AIS 140 Vehicle Location tracking devices and appropriate action is taken on any alerts received from the panic button.
The team also works in providing the required information to the Delhi Police too, in cases as required, it said further.
Similarly, the command-and-control centre at Kashmere Gate has played an important role in ensuring the safety of all passengers, especially women travelling in the buses, it said.
In addition to these measures, SMS and email alerts are sent to the concerned authorities during emergencies, ensuring that all necessary actions are taken swiftly and efficiently, the statement added.
The Delhi government remains committed to the safety and security of its citizens and will continue to implement and enhance measures that ensure the well-being of the people, it said.
"We urge all citizens to utilize the panic buttons and other available safety features when necessary, and we encourage the public to report any concerns or suggestions to further improve the existing systems," it added.