Vehicle Location Tracking Devices and Panic Buttons compulsory in all vehicles in Odisha from October 1; Check details

Bhubaneswar: In a significant move aimed at enhancing passenger safety, the State Transport Authority (STA) of Odisha has announced the compulsory installation of Vehicle Location Tracking Devices (VLTD) and Panic Buttons in all vehicles, excluding two-wheelers, rickshaws, and three-wheelers. This decision, effective from October 1, 2023, is in line with the directives issued by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.

According to the notification issued by the Commerce & Transport (Transport) Department, Notification No. TRN-LCMISC-0001-201/81541T dated July 17, 2023, the requirement for VLTD and Panic Buttons has been imposed in adherence to Rule 125H, sub-rule 5 of rule 90, and sub-rule 1 of rule 129 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989.

The primary objective behind this mandate, as stated by the STA, is to track and monitor vehicles operating on the roads, with a special focus on ensuring the safety of passengers, especially women and children.

The requirement for Vehicle Location Tracking Devices and Panic Buttons extends to various types of vehicles, including passenger buses, educational institution buses, luxury cabs, maxi cabs, motor cabs, omni buses, private service vehicles, goods carriage vehicles operating on National Permits, vehicles transporting hazardous and explosive materials, and ambulances.

Here’s the timeline for the applicability of VLTD:
New vehicles registered on or after October 1, 2023, among the specified vehicle categories must be equipped with AIS 140 VLTD Devices and Panic Buttons at the time of registration.

Old vehicles registered on or before September 30, 2023, within the specified vehicle categories, must have AIS 140 VLTD Devices and Panic Buttons installed by December 31, 2023.

Failure to install the VLTD Device in the specified vehicles will result in new vehicles being ineligible for registration after October 1, 2023. Similarly, owners of old vehicles registered on or before September 30, 2023, will not be able to carry out transactions in Vahan, such as Fitness Certificate (FC), Transfer of Ownership (TO), Permit, National Permit Authorization, etc., effective from January 1, 2024.

Procedure for Fitment of VLTD Device:
Vehicle owners have the flexibility to select any VLTD device from the approved VLTD Manufacturers list endorsed by the Government of Odisha. To find approved vendors and locate the nearest Retro Fitment Centre (RFC) in their respective districts, vehicle owners can visit the Transport Department website at odishatransport.gov.in and vltd.odishatransport.gov.in.