VIJAYAWADA: The IT wing of the Road Transport Authority (RTA) is likely to finalise tenders for implementation of ‘Project Abhaya’ on August 20. The project is an IoT-based security system aimed at ensuring safety of women and girl children while using public transport.
According to the RTA officials, the department had designed the project two years ago and a proposal was sent to the Centre seeking its nod for implementation of the project on a pilot basis in Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam.
Considering the priority of the project, the Centre, a few months ago, had released `138 crore fund for the pilot project after getting approval from the NITI Aayog.
The department has invited Request for Proposals (RFPs) from IT companies to install IoT devices on 12.5 lakh transport vehicles including the public transport buses, auto-rickshaws, cabs and tourist, school and private buses. Tenders in this regard are likely to be finalised on August 20.
In the first phase, the firm that will take up the works will install IoT devices on auto-rickshaws and taxis from October, officials said.
“Around 22 IT companies have showed their interest in the Project Abhaya. In the first phase, the project will be implemented on a pilot basis in Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam at an estimated cost of `58 crore,” said a senior transport department official on the condition of anonymity.
Explaining the salient features of the project, he said the devices will have an in-built Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) or General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) for both real-time location tracking and data communication.
In case of any emergency, women and girl children would be able to share their whereabouts with the police and transport department officials through these IoT devices, he said. The vehicles will also have panic buttons, which can be used if anyone is in distress, the official said, adding that the Command Control Room will be automatically alerted.
In addition, a QR code will also be placed near the IoT devices, which could be scanned using smartphones. This will allow police to track whereabouts of the vehicle, the official added.
Safety first
The IoT-based devices will have an in-built Global Navigation Satellite System and Global System for Mobile Communication or General Packet Radio Service for both real-time location tracking and data communication. A QR code will also be placed near the IoT devices.