Coming soon, panic buttons for Delhi’s low-floor buses

NEW DELHI - Soon, in case of a robbery or molestation inside a low-floor bus in Delhi, the driver or even a passenger may be able to hit the panic button - literally!

The Delhi government is mulling introducing a ‘panic button’, which will be connected to the Global Positioning System (GPS), on all low-floor buses.

“The panic button will work as a weapon in the hands of bus drivers which they can use to curb crimes against women like molestation and general cases of robbery,” a top transport department official, requesting anonymity, told IANS.

“We are in the process of installing the GPS in all our low-floor buses and the panic button will work on the basis of that. It will be installed near the driver’s seat. Whenever the driver presses the button, an emergency message will be flashed in the police control room (PCR),” the official said.

“The control room will then direct the nearest PCR van to reach the particular bus and tackle the problem. Women who face problems could also use the button,” he added.

“The process of installing the GPS system is nearly complete. The file is stuck with the planning department and once they go ahead, it will start. Delhi’s Transport Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely has also liked the idea,” the official said.

At present, Delhi has around 950 low-floor buses running on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and by January end, around 400 more are expected to be added to the fleet. Before the Commonwealth Games in October, Delhi is expected to have nearly 5,000 such buses.

Molestation and theft are common in Delhi buses.