North East states including Sikkim Mail Motor Vehicles to be equipped with GPS system

Global Positioning System GPS equipped Mail Motor Vehicles in North East India and Sikkim from March 2010

06 January, Gangtok: Global Positioning Systems (GPS) will be installed to track the movement of Mail Motor vehicles in the hilly and difficult terrains of Assam and North Eastern States of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura. Department of Posts has decided to make the system operational by March 2010. For the purpose, 75 mail motor vehicles will be fitted with GPS devices at a total cost of Rs.12 lakhs. This will help overcome the tough challenge posed by the hilly and thickly forested routes in Assam and North East and will ensure smooth and timely movement of mails and parcels across States and Regions.

Subsequent to the introduction of Freighter Aircraft in the North East in August 2007 for transmission of mails and parcels, Department of Posts has started inter-city transmission of mails and parcels in the North Eastern States. Installation of GPS devices will help the Department to track location of vehicles all along the pre-defined locations. The position of vehicles will be displayed on a detailed digital map which would indicate date, time, speed, distance and nearest Post Office. Vehicles can be displayed on a single map window to visualize the geographical spread of fleets operating at a given point of time. The system would also have the facility whereby drivers can issue alert through SMS for detention beyond prescribed timings at Post Offices. Drivers can also get assistance during emergency through the system. (PIB)