Unfamiliar routes, shady behaviour, a defunct panic button – on a chilly winter night a regular cab journey from Delhi to Noida horrified Ishika. While heading back from the office, Ishika took a cab for a 40-minute journey, but a few minutes later, she sensed that the routes were unusual. Initially, she kept quiet, assuming that it was an alternative route, but maps suggested otherwise.
The cab driver was taking a longer and evidently shadier route. She kept asking the driver about the choice of roads, but he just refused to respond. Helpless, she decided to press the emergency button next to her, but it did not work. She said, “The driver understood that I was pressing the panic button and smirked. He said, ‘yeh koi kaam ka nahi hai’ (it’s of no use) ”.
Lifeline that does not respond
On paper, the panic button has been mandated by the Delhi government inside commercial vehicles.
The small red switch, usually placed near the passenger seat, somewhere behind the driver’s seat, promises instant help. One simple press and an alert is supposed to reach the police control room, followed by real-time location tracking and rapid response.
For several women who use cabs, autos, and app-based taxis on a daily basis, especially in a city that continues to grapple with safety concerns, this button was introduced as a support system.
However, on the ground, the promise often collapses the moment the button is pressed. In most cases it appears to be defunct, with no follow-ups.
Across the national capital, many passengers and drivers have repeatedly pointed out that the panic buttons are non-functional, poorly connected, badly maintained, or entirely symbolic. Whether or not they are linked to any control room is a question that remains largely unanswered.
In most cases, they have been found to trigger no response, no call back and no police outreach. Drivers also claim that the button exists merely to pass inspection rather than serving as an emergency response mechanism.
A look back in time
After years of public outrage over crimes against women in moving vehicles, panic buttons were introduced. It wasn’t meant to be just another women’s safety measure but to bring accountability in harassment cases that questioned the glaring gaps in accountability and response time.
“In the aftermath of the infamous 2014 rape case involving a driver from a major global cab aggregator, the Delhi government, along with its transport authorities, made panic buttons mandatory in commercial vehicles, including taxis, radio cabs, autos, and app-based aggregators,” said Saleem, a cab driver based in Munirka.
The idea was pretty simple: if a passenger sensed danger, they could press the button, which would immediately alert the police control room and transmit the vehicle’s live location. The basic purpose behind this system was meant to bypass delays, hesitation and fear – especially in situations where making a call is not possible.
Over the years, the requirement was reinforced through guidelines, vehicle fitness checks, and licensing norms. App-based cab aggregators were also asked to integrate in-app SOS features with physical panic buttons.
In January 2022, a circular was issued by the Transport Department of the Delhi Government stating that panic buttons are mandatory in all public service vehicles, including taxis, app-based cabs and auto-rickshaws, under Rule 125H of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.
The government approved a specific GPS-based vehicle tracking device fitted with an emergency button and stated the technical requirements that such devices must meet to be legally installed in commercial vehicles operating in Delhi.
According to the circular, the panic button is required to be integrated with a vehicle tracking system and connected to backend servers through mobile networks. When pressed, the button is intended to transmit the vehicle’s real-time location and emergency alert data to designated monitoring systems. The circular also mentioned that the device must use approved SIM services, support GPS connectivity, and be capable of sending data to multiple IP addresses to ensure uninterrupted communication with emergency response systems.
Additionally, it specified that the device must comply with prescribed technical standards, including hardware specifications, firmware versions, and communication protocols.
Despite such firmly worded guidelines, the distance between policy intent and daily reality has grown steadily wider. For many commuters, the panic button’s failure becomes apparent in moments of dire need, like in the case of Ishika. Although she was lucky enough to reach home safely that night, her story talks on behalf of multiple other women who probably couldn’t make it to their homes safely on many nights.
No awareness, no clarity for many
Another set of commuters, who also happen to be in the majority, are completely unaware of the existence of these buttons. A small social media survey carried out by the correspondent while working on the story revealed that almost every second woman in Delhi NCR has “never even heard or seen one while travelling in the cabs, leave aside using it.” There is also limited public education around panic buttons. Many passengers are unaware of how the system works, what response to expect, or whom the alert reaches. In difficult situations, this uncertainty can deter people from using the button altogether.
Ironically, drivers themselves often have little clarity about how panic buttons function. Many commercial vehicle drivers admit they were instructed to install panic buttons to comply with licensing rules. “They told us it is mandatory; otherwise, challan hoga (we’ll be fined). Nobody explained what system it connects to,” said a cab driver who has been driving in Delhi for over a decade, said Saleem.
According to sources cab aggregators who were aware of the matter admitted that the system does not function as intended on the ground. “Physical panic buttons installed in commercial vehicles are largely not connected to any active police control room, meaning that pressing the button often does not trigger a response. While government notifications refer to vehicle location tracking, there is little clarity on where this GPS data is received or monitored, particularly for moving vehicles that may cross district or state boundaries within minutes,” he said.
He further said that physical buttons are easier to tamper with, as they involve exposed wiring that can be disabled. They are positioned in such a visible way inside the vehicle that it makes them difficult to use discreetly, potentially putting passengers, especially women, at greater risk in threatening situations. Meanwhile, “drivers have to bear the financial burden of installation and annual renewal, reportedly paying between `5,000 and `8,000 depending on the Regional Transport Office, despite limited practical utility,” he added.
Some cab drivers have said that the panic buttons had stopped working months after installation. Few of them claim that the GPS modules linked to the buttons frequently lose network connectivity making it difficult for anybody to navigate through them.
The patchy system fails all
At the heart of the problem lies a fragmented emergency response ecosystem.
For panic buttons to work effectively, multiple systems must function seamlessly: the hardware inside the vehicle, GPS connectivity, backend servers, and a responsive control room capable of acting on alerts in real time. In Delhi, this chain is often broken at several points.
Speaking to the newspaper, a source said, “App-based aggregators have repeatedly flagged these issues in consultations with authorities, recommending manufacturer-level installation and backend police integration.”
“Despite multiple representations, the mandate continues in its current form, even as several doubts remain over its effectiveness,” he added.
Sharing his story, cab drivers like Saleem said, “Vehicle fitness checks and licensing inspections typically verify the physical presence of a panic button. Rarely do they test whether the button is connected, functional, or capable of sending alerts.”
“On the other hand, app-based SOS features are designed to provide a more discreet and integrated emergency response mechanism for both riders and drivers. The SOS button can be activated directly from the app without drawing attention, allowing users to seek help without alerting others in the vehicle,” said Aakash Aggarwal, Head of Policy, Safety and Driver Communications at Uber India.
He further explained that when used, the in-app SOS connects users to emergency services such as 112 or 100, while at the same time sharing critical information with the police backend, including vehicle details, driver information, and live GPS location updated every few seconds.
“This is particularly significant for moving vehicles, where conventional emergency calls often require detailed explanations, as calls are often transferred across jurisdictions,” he added.
Aggarwal also said that while emergency numbers can be dialled directly from a phone, the in-app SOS reduces response time by automatically transmitting verified and continuously updated data, making it a more effective safety tool in practice.
Police sources in the national capital have said that even though the PCR receives distress calls, they have not received any particular alert raised by panic buttons in cabs.
Such delays and lack of accountability are deeply disturbing for survivors of harassment or intimidation, as they often reinforce the perception that the system cannot be relied upon.
Looking ahead for probable solution
If panic buttons are to move beyond symbolism, systemic reforms are essential.
Functionality must be prioritised over mere installation. These should be followed up by regular audits that would test whether panic buttons are operational and connected to control rooms. In addition to that, vehicles with non-functional devices should face penalties, and repeat offenders should risk losing permits.
A significant share of responsibility must also rest with device vendors, cab aggregators, and transport authorities to ensure regular maintenance, timely upgrades, and a responsive emergency framework.
Most importantly, integration needs improvement. Physical panic buttons, app-based SOS features, GPS systems, and police databases must operate on a unified basis in order to reduce fragmentation.
Drivers should understand how the system works and why it matters, and passengers should know what happens when they press the button and what support they can expect. In a city as complex as Delhi, women’s safety cannot hinge on a single device. Panic buttons can play a role, but only as part of a wider ecosystem that includes responsive policing, accountable transport operators, and primarily public trust.
Until that ecosystem is strong enough, one small red button inside Delhi’s cabs will remain what many commuters already view it to be – just a broken promise.