Chandigarh has highest density of vehicles in the country. With an aim to decongest city roads and keeping the safety of commuters as the paramount feature, the UT administration has formulated a draft policy for carpooling.
Key Features Proposed
- It will be a mobile app-based car sharing system.
- App to have an in-built panic button and GPS (Global Positioning System) location tracking.
- Mandatory registration of vehicle and driver.
- Mandatory police verification of driver’s background.
- The owner and driver to be responsible for safety of users.
- In no way a commercial activity, the commuters will be charged only the cost.
- No pick-ups from bus stops, bus stands or taxi stands will be allowed.
- No soliciting of passengers on the road.
- The app will function just like the already available mobile-enabled cab services. Users can avail this at any time. Details about charges, distance and name of the driver will be displayed to the user.
Proper security features are accounted for in this app. In case of emergency, the panic button can send an alert to police. It would be possible to track the vehicle in real time.
The development of the mobile app will be outsourced. It will be regulated by the state transport authority. As per reports, it will take two months for the policy to become operational. For feedback, the administration will invite public views on the draft policy. After bike taxis, the carpooling policy is definitely a step ahead towards environment preservation.
News Source: Hindustan Times, Chandigarh
Image Source: Google Images
