On the 23rd of November, the Andhra Pradesh Government launched the Abhayam Project in the State.
Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh (A.P.,) inaugurated the project which aims toward the protection of children and women.
The Abhayam Project would be run jointly by the State Government and the Central Government. The Abhayam project would be an application to ensure the safe travel of children and women in Andhra Pradesh. In every autos and cabs, the Abhayam device would be available/installed for safety purposes.
The project would be implemented under the supervision of the Department of Transport.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy, the President of the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP,) launched the application virtually.
Speaking on the occasion, the Andhra Pradesh CM Y.S. Jagan said, “We are launching the Abhayam project for the safety of women.”
Similar to the Amma Vodi and Cheyuta schemes, the newly launched scheme would enhance the aim of women empowerment.
During a meeting held at the CM’s camp office in Tadepalli, CM Y.S. Jagan said, “Peace and security have been given top priority. For the first time in the country, the Disha Bill was introduced and stood as an ideal and Disha police stations have been set up in every district. We are taking steps to set up special courts to stand by the sisters through the Disha app. Women police have also been appointed in each village / ward secretariat.” He further added, “The Abhayam app has been made available under the auspices of the Department of Transport. The app can be used to travel safely in autos and cabs. We will set up the Abhayam app device in every auto and cab in the state. We are setting up the device in a thousand vehicles for the first time and set up the device for one lakh vehicles by next November.”
The project is worth Rs. 138.48 crores, of the total costing, the Central Government has allocated Rs. 80.09 crores to the state in 2015 under the Nirbhaya scheme.
After having Rs. 80.09 crores, the YSRCP Government needs to allocate Rs. 55.39 crores as its share for the successful implementation.
The Department of Transport aims to complete the project by November 2021 by phasing out tracking devices for luxury vehicles in the state.
Initially, Internet of Things (IoT) devices would be set up in 1,000 autos in Visakhapatnam. After that it will be implemented in Tirupati and other districts.
How the Abhayam project would work?
Tracking devices are installed in transport vehicles.
IoT boxes should be fitted to transport vehicles in stages.
These devices would begin installation from the 23rd of November in the first one thousand autos.
The devices would be installed in 5,000 vehicles by the 1st of February 2021, 50,000 vehicles by the 1st of July 2021 and 1 lakh vehicles by the 31st of November.
Project management would last until 2025.
Those traveling in autos and cabs should install the ‘Abhayam’ mobile application on their mobile. Scan the QR code affixed to the vehicle before boarding the vehicle.
After the scan, the driver’s photo and vehicle details would be sent to the mobile.
Women who use smartphones could find out the whereabouts of the vehicle through GPS by sending the relevant vehicle number from the mobile app.
Passengers who do not have a smartphone can press the panic button on the IoT device attached to the vehicle and the information would reach the command control center and the Cab or auto stops immediately, informing about the vehicle to the nearby police officers.
Radio Frequency Identity Technology (RFID) cards are issued to drivers’ licenses after IoT based boxes are fitted to autos and cabs.
Passengers need to swipe these RFID license cards to the IoT box fitted at the engines for the autos or cabs to start the journey.
Stay tuned for further updates.
