GPS devices to check diesel theft

HYDERABAD: With complaints pouring in that several workers and staff members are pilfering diesel from the vehicles of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), the civic body has decided to install GPS devices in them.How does that help? Officials said they had received complaints that some workers were not making scheduled trips to the garbage transfer stations and the dumping yard at Jawaharnagar. The GPS devices, they pointed out, would help in tracking the movement of the vehicles.The GHMC has invited Expression of Interest (EoI) proposals from private agencies for supply and maintenance of GPS-based devices for a period of one year.The vehicles, which run in day and night shifts, are operated from three vehicle parking yards ie, Malakpet, Khairtabad and Kavadiguda. The total estimate for supply, installation, commission and maintenance of mobile GPS equipments will be around Rs 15-20 lakh per annum.The GHMC has about 898 vehicles for transportation of 4,000 MT of garbage generated every day in the Greater Hyderabad limits. Besides, the civic body also hires vehicles like the 25 tonner and water tankers and wants to install GPS equipment in them too. Officials said the selected private agency, if it failed to deliver on its promises, will have to pay a penalty of Rs 500 per day for each vehicle. The tenders will be opened on May 21.