Taxi association urges minister to withdraw panic button and GPS mandate

Mangaluru: The South Canara and Udupi Taxi and Maxicab Owners’ Association submitted a formal request to Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, urging him to rescind the mandate requiring the installation of panic buttons and GPS devices in commercial vehicles.

The association stated that the state transport department’s order, based on a directive from the Central Transport Department, has caused confusion and imposed an undue burden on taxi and maxicab drivers. They claimed that the mandate has led to operational difficulties for drivers across the state.

While the Minister had temporarily postponed the order following protests, it has now been reintroduced. This has resulted in complications during the renewal process of older vehicles, according to the Udupi district Taxi Men’s and Maxicab Association President, former MLA Raghupati Bhat. A delegation, led by Bhat and other district representatives, met the minister to submit their plea.

Minister Reddy assured the delegation that he would discuss the matter with the transport commissioner and seek an appropriate solution.