Bombay High Court Issues Notice On PIL For Installation Of Tracking Device And Emergency Button In Public Vehicles

A PIL has been filed in the Bombay High Court seeking the installation of vehicle location tracking devices for old and existing public vehicles in the State to ensure the security of women and children.The petition filed by an NGO seeks to direct the State government to install location tracking devices and emergency buttons in public vehicles. The petitioner argues that the non-installation of vehicle location tracking devices endangers the lives of women and children. It is contended that despite the Nirbhaya Fund scheme being framed in 2014, no initiative has been taken by the State government for the security of women and girl children.A division bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Bharati Dangre today issued notice to the State and sought its response to the PIL.The petition states that the Nirbhaya framework includes setting up a State Level City Command and Control Centre for GPS tracking and video recording in public transport vehicles. It is stated that the objective of establishing necessary infrastructure under the Nirbhaya framework is to ensure the safety of women and children in passenger and school buses.The petition also states that as per the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways notification dated 28 November 2016, Vehicle Location Tracking and Emergency Buttons were mandated to be fitted in all public service vehicles carrying passengers.The petition states that states like Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Kerala, Uttarakhand and Chattisgarh have established the Nirbhaya Command Centre and have ordered the fitting of old and existing public vehicles with Vehicle Location Tracking Device and Emergency Button. It is stated that the introduction of panic buttons and GPS in vehicles would make it easier for the public to deal with any danger or untoward incidents. It is further stated that the State government has not yet implemented Vehicle Location Tracking and Emergency Buttons in old vehicles.The petitioner thus prays for the State Transport Department to install Vehicle Location Tracking devices in public vehicles. Case title: Helping Hands For Humanity vs. State Of Maharashtra (PIL(L)/1663/2025)

Bombay High Court Issues Notice On PIL For Installation Of Tracking Device And Emergency Button In Public Vehicles

Sanjana Dadmi

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