The Hindu : New Delhi News : GPS technology to enhance safety of women workers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 25, 2007
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New Delhi

New Delhi

GPS technology to enhance safety of women workers

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: For the safety of women who work late hours and then commute in taxis, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) has suggested that foolproof security arrangements be made using the Global Positioning System (GPS) technology.

Noting that women work late hours in BPO call centres, ASSOCHAM has stated that there is a fit case for installation of GPS in over 20,000 taxis that ferry them to their working places in the National Capital Region as also in other Information Technology-enabled services and IT hubs such as Chandigarh, Chennai, Bangalore and Pune. The National Capital Region alone has about 200 ITES companies with more than 7,500 taxis to ferry the employees. Installation of the system in vehicles being used for night shifts would be an ideal solution for women's safety, ASSOCHAM said.

High crime rate

ASSOCHAM secretary-general D. S. Rawat said that due to absence of GPS in taxis, the crime rate against women engaged in night shifts had been rising. "One can put a full-stop to such security risks by installation of GPS in all BPO vehicles," he added.

According to ASSOCHAM, the NCR along with Bangalore remains a security risk zone for women employees. Also, it has the highest crime rate despite a better law and order situation compared to other BPO hubs. Since over 500 BPO call centres are spread in these hubs and about 5,000 women work in them and also do night shifts, installation of GPS has been suggested as a major deterrent in crime. "It allows the company to keep track on the movement of their taxis. If there is a breakdown or the driver resorts to some mischief, then immediately the company would know," said an analyst.

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