Vehicles moving from Samdrup Jongkhar Dzongkhag, Nganglam and Panbang Dungkhags to low-risk areas will be monitored digitally hereafter. The Eastern COVID-19 Taskforce installed Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) devices to 1,000 vehicles ferrying essential items and industrial raw materials from these high-risk areas to low-risk areas. The GNSS will help in monitoring and tracking the vehicles without involving human escort.
The GNSS will facilitate undisturbed vehicle movement while containing coronavirus transmission, it will also foster a digital mode of surveillance and reduce front liners exposure to potential risk and adopt efficient and effective means of fleet-freight management on a real-time basis.
“This vehicle tracking device is initiated to optimise the involving technology particularly in the context of the COVID situation where the movement of a vehicle is quite crucial. It has two objectives; firstly to do away with an escort or to minimise and secondly, it will ensure the safety of the vehicle and driver,” said Gonpo Tenzin, a member of the Eastern COVID-19 Taskforce in Samdrup Jongkhar.
Currently, vehicles carrying essentials and raw materials and plying from high risk to low risk are escorted and monitored by DeSuups. Drivers are not allowed to stop and mingle with people in the high-risk area, they are directly escorted to the low-risk area. With this tracking system in place, it will benefit both the driver and the officials.
“With this GPS I think DeSuup will not have to escort because if vehicles stop in high-risk area focal person can easily track from here, I think it will solve the manpower problem,” said Rinchen, a DeSuup in Samdrup Jongkhar.
“While in escort 100 of vehicles move in line so we face some problem, if one vehicle’s tyre gets damaged we have to wait but now with this GPS, we can move individually,” said Wangchuk, a driver from Pema Gatshel.
The move is also expected to cut the cost for an escort. However, vehicles will be monitored by escort as well as by the GNSS for a month. And vehicle plying through the Indian highway will also be monitored by the GNSS.
“While on the Indian highway we will not lift the escort, in fact, we will combine both the human and digital surveillance as there is a high risk, and at the same time we have to evacuate our passengers and drivers in times of an accident,” said Gonpo Tenzin.
The GNSS is operated by a Bhutan Telecom sim card and if the monitored vehicle stop in the high-risk area an alarm will go off in the control room where it is monitored by a focal person.
There are two tracking devices, for vehicles carrying essential items permanent tracking device will be installed and for emergency traveller portable GNSS device will be used.
Kinley Wangchuk, Samdrup Jongkhar
