Thiruvananthapuram: The Surakshamithram project, launched in 2019 to enhance road safety by tracking the real-time location and speed of public transport vehicles, has gone off track. This ambitious initiative, jointly undertaken by the Central and State governments, has stalled due to implementation failures and financial constraints faced by the State.

The project aimed to cover around eight lakh public transport vehicles in Kerala, including buses, lorries, autorickshaws, and taxis. While GPS-based location tracking devices were installed in approximately four lakh vehicles, the control rooms intended to monitor and coordinate these systems were never fully established. A state-level control room and district-level facilities across Kerala's 14 districts were planned, but only the state-level centre became operational—and even that has since shut down.

Initially designed to operate 24/7, the control room's working hours were reduced to just eight hours a day due to staff shortages. Eventually, the sole Motor Vehicle Inspector managing the facility was reassigned, leading to the complete cessation of operations.

The project envisioned an Emergency Response Support System to track public transport vehicles in real time, sending alerts to owners in cases of route deviation or speeding.

The estimated cost of the project was Rs 66 crore, with 60% funded by the Centre and 40% by the State. During the initial phase, the Centre disbursed Rs 12 crore, but the State is still waiting for an additional Rs 2 crore to complete the current phase. However, delays in meeting the Centre's guidelines have hindered further funding.

Moreover, the State has failed to settle payments with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), which provides technical support to the Motor Vehicles Department. Disputes between the Department and C-DAC have further stalled progress.

GPS firms benefit while safety suffers

While GPS companies have profited from the project, its road safety goals remain unachieved. Many interstate buses and lorries have avoided installing GPS devices due to inconsistent speed regulations across states. Additionally, vehicle owners have voiced frustration over the frequent malfunctioning of GPS devices available in Kerala and the high annual maintenance charges levied by GPS companies.