To boost the security and safety of travellers in state government's buses, the Uttar Pradesh government said it would be utilising Rs 15 crore from Nirbhaya Fund to equip 11,750 UPSRTC buses with GPS and panic button.

UP government will be issuing a tender for the project on May 28 for ordinary and AC buses. As part of this project, the government will utilise Rs 15 crore from the Nirbhaya Fund to install the two device — a panic button for emergency help and GPS to keep an eye on the buses at all times from a central control room.

The Board of Directors of UPSRTC has already given its nod to the proposal to install the two devices in State Roadways buses.

“The tenders for the same will be issued on May 28, while the deadline for submitting bids is June 11. The company winning the tender will set up its own command centre, connect it to dial 112 and operate the facility,” said the government in a statement.

While the proposed panic button is expected to be helpful when there is an accident as it will be connected to Dial 112, and the GPS will help identify the location of the accident easily for emergency services to reach there immediately.

As soon as a passenger presses the panic button when an accident takes place, Dial 112 will automatically come to know about it and pass on the information to the control room of the UPSRTC.

Subsequently, the interceptors and officers of the corporation deployed on various routes will rush to the spot with the police.