Delhi Exempts Annual Fee for Vehicle Location Tracking Devices on Public Transport

The Delhi Government has waived the annual Rs 1,416 fee for Vehicle Location Tracking Devices on public vehicles carrying passengers. This move is part of a MoU between the Delhi Transport Department and NIC, benefiting 1.5 lakh public vehicle owners and enhancing public transport safety in Delhi.

The Delhi Government announced on Thursday the exemption of the annual fee for Vehicle Location Tracking Devices (VLTD) for all public vehicles transporting passengers in the national capital. An official press release revealed this decision followed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Delhi Transport Department and the National Informatics Centre (NIC) for the VLTD project.

Earlier, vehicle owners had to pay an annual fee of Rs 1,200 plus 18 percent GST, totalling Rs 1,416. The exemption is set to benefit approximately 1.5 lakh public vehicle owners across Delhi. Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot addressed the media, stating, "This exemption is a significant step towards easing the financial burden on public vehicle owners while ensuring the safety and security of passengers, especially women and children. By leveraging advanced technology like the VLTD, we are committed to providing safer and more efficient public transportation in Delhi. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi Government is committed to implementing world-class safety measures in all public vehicles."

According to Gahlot, there are about 2,44,312 public vehicles, including autorickshaws, taxis, and RTVs, serving as paratransit vehicles in Delhi. He noted that the government had already waived the annual fee for VLTDs in respect of one lakh auto and taxi drivers.

"Today, about 1.5 lakh public vehicles benefit from this exemption. This is a very big decision. Additionally, we have terminated our contract with DIMTS, and the NIC will now oversee the tracking of these vehicles," he added. Gahlot highlighted past initiatives by the Kejriwal government, such as reducing the fitness test fee from Rs 2500 to Rs 500 and the fitness fee for auto drivers from Rs 200 to zero.

Other fee reductions included late fee cuts from Rs 50 to Rs 20, registration fee cuts from Rs 1000 to Rs 300, and reductions in 'Transfer of Ownership' fees and late fees. The VLTD is an advanced GPS tracking device utilizing GPS and IRNSS technology for accurate, real-time location tracking. Mandatory for all commercial vehicles in India, it transmits precise data to the VAAHAN server, with NIC's cloud infrastructure ensuring continuous monitoring and enhanced public safety.

(With inputs from agencies.)