Control room set up to monitor GPS-enabled patrol vehicles

CHENNAI: The state government has set up a modern control room at the state traffic planning
cell (STPC) office on Kamarajar Salai to monitor the 122 GPS-enabled police patrol vehicles deployed along the national highways across the state.

“The new system will help the police patrol vehicles to reach the accident spot within two minutes of the incident. The movement of patrol vehicles will be monitored round the clock from the STPC office. Our main aim is to reduce the deaths due to road accidents,” state transport minister KN Nehru told The Times Of India. He was talking to mediapersons after attending a review meeting to gauge the effectiveness of its initiatives to reduce the number of accidents in the state.

He said the road safety policy of the government had laid out broad principles along with programmes for traffic improvement. A state level monitoring committee will be formed to implement the policy. To instill greater seriousness, deterrent penal action has been introduced for traffic-related offences. First offence results in suspension of driving licence and any subsequent offence would result in cancellation of licence, minister said.

“We have introduced a new system called MARS (monitoring and response system), which will work through a GPS-GIS system fitted on the highway police patrol vehicles. Incidents of robbery and road accidents can be monitored through the central monitoring unit and immediately send the patrol cars for help.STPC can be contacted at 2844 4444. MARS will also study the accident prone areas in the state and take necessary steps to reduce road accidents,” KN Nehru said.

credit:timesofindia.indiatimes.com