The Hindu                07.05.2013

Garbage-collecting vehicles fitted with GPS gadgets

To track the movement of garbage vehicles and for better fuel management, 70 vehicles used for solid waste management by the corporation were fitted with global positioning system (GPS) technology at a cost of Rs. 13 lakh here on Monday.

The GPS device concealed in the vehicles would enable officials to locate and track vehicles, ensure vehicles ply on designated route, check travel history, track speed, fuel monitoring, prevent theft and calculate the idle time of the vehicles. The monitoring desk, located in the corporation office, records the movement of vehicles through satellite technology and the information can be used to interpret the data.

Corporation officials said that the new system would enable them to prevent fuel theft and effectively help in time management as the vehicles collect garbage from all the 60 wards and transport it to the solid waste management plant at Chettichavadi, which is about 13 km from the city.

They added that the device could not be tampered with as it would be continuously monitored through satellite.

Study conducted

Earlier, a pilot study was conducted by fitting the GPS gadget in two vehicles and their movements monitored, added the officials.

On Monday, two vehicles were fitted with GPS gadgets in the corporation office and their movements monitored in the software.

Mayor S. Soundappan, Deputy Mayor N. Natesan, Commissioner M. Ashokan, Executive Engineers A. Ashokan, G. Kamaraj, Zone Chairman’s, councillors, L. Rajesh Kumar, Senior Business Development Executive, J-Technologies India Private Limited, Coimbatore and other officials were present.