Government of Andhra Pradesh launches Abhayam to ensure women, child safety

VIJAYWADA: The Government of Andhra Pradesh has launched the Abhayam project. The project is aimed at improving security of women and children while travelling in public transport vehicles, particularly autorickshaws. YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh launched the project at his camp office at Tadepalli on Monday, November 23. He said that the Abhayam device would be fitted in autos and cabs and that the mobile application will provide emergency help to those in distress. Speaking at the occasion, the Reddy said that the state government is taking numerous steps to ensure women and child safety. He added that this is the first Internet of Things (IoT) based women safety project. He asserted that this ambitious project was brought not due to lack of trust on auto and taxi drivers, but to bolster confidence levels of women passengers.

Through the initiative, the state government aims to bring one lakh autos under the Abhayam project. The government aims to equip 5,000 vehicles with the tracking and IoT devices by February 1, 50,000 vehicles by July 1, and one lakh vehicles by November next year.

The Chief Minister added that initially, 1,000 autos in Vishakhapatnam were equipped with the IoT devices as part of a pilot project. However, the initiative will now be introduced in Vijayawada and Tirupati. “Those travelling by autos will have to install the Abhayam application on their smartphones and will have to scan the QR code affixed to the vehicle before boards. Post scanning, the details of the autorickshaw and the driver will be shared with the passenger immediately. If women using the mobile application face any difficulty, they can send the vehicle number of the auto using the application to the police and the vehicle can then be tracked using GPS,” he said.

Passengers who do not have access to a smartphone can press the panic button attached on the inside of the public transport vehicle. Once pressed, the Abhayam device will automatically being the vehicle to a stop and immediately alert the nearest police station.

Reiterating that the state government is giving top priority to law and order, safety and security of women, the Chief Minister said that there should be no compromise on this issue. He pointed out that the government has provided financial assistance through schemes like Aasara, Cheyutha to empower them. He recalled that similarly, the government had also brought 50 per cent reservation to women in nominated posts and also appointed women as Home Minister and Deputy Chief Minister.