Introduction
Days after a 16-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped inside a moving bus in Noida, the Delhi government has announced a two-pronged response: plans to monitor interstate buses with GPS and a new set of operational directives for bus operators, as reported by India Today and The Times of India.
Government's GPS monitoring plan
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the government plans to link the GPS systems of buses entering Delhi from neighbouring states with the relevant Delhi government department to enable real-time monitoring and quick action during emergencies. As quoted by India Today, Gupta expressed deep sorrow over the incident and said the role of the bus driver and conductor was a matter of concern. She added, "The Delhi government will hold discussions with neighbouring states to further strengthen the safety of women and children travelling by bus to and from the national capital."
New safety directives for bus operators
The Times of India reported that the Transport department, in an order issued on Tuesday, directed operators to ensure that panic buttons and Vehicle Location Tracking Devices remain functional at all times. The order also prohibits curtains and glass fitted with films in buses, and requires that buses stop only at authorised and safe locations, not in the middle of roads or at intersections. Parking during night and idle hours is allowed only at authorised, secure, and adequately lit locations.
The order further mandates that operators sensitise drivers, conductors, and other crew members on preventing harassment of women passengers and the serious consequences of misconduct. In case of indecent behaviour, molestation, eve-teasing, or any other offence against a woman, the crew must immediately inform police and take the bus to the nearest police station, police post, or PCR van. The order also states that school buses must have an authorised attendant wherever required and that doors must remain securely closed while the vehicle is moving. Operators are required to comply with emission norms and carry a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate.
Transport minister Pankaj Singh said the government would not compromise on passenger safety.
The incident
Police said the victim, a 16-year-old Class 11 student from Mainpuri in Uttar Pradesh, was allegedly gang-raped by the conductor and driver of a sleeper bus and later abandoned near Kashmere Gate, more than 40 kilometres away. The two accused have been arrested, police said.
The crime took place on the night of August 4 and revived memories of the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case in Delhi. Police said the girl had left home after being scolded by her mother and boarded a bus for Noida Sector 63, where her cousin lives. She got off by mistake at Pari Chowk in Greater Noida in heavy rain at around 9 pm, after which the bus conductor allegedly told her the bus was going to Sector 63.
Investigators and the travel company operating the bus said the vehicle had developed a technical fault and was taken to a workshop in Surajpur, Greater Noida, for repairs.