India considering biometric database for cab drivers
13 February, 2012
category: Biometrics, Government
After the murder of jeweler Manoj Kumar Grandhi visiting from Visakhapatnam by three cab drivers, the police in Bangalore, India are considering asking the various cab companies in the region to begin collecting biometrics from their drivers for background checks, according to a Times of India article.
Before the police move forward with trying to get all cab drivers’ biometrics collected and criminal history checked, police officials are planning to elicit suggestions from tour and taxi operators to decide if there are better or more specific ways to ensure the safety of visitors to the city.
While cab company spokespeople have not expressed any opposition to the program, they maintain that many of them employ multiple methods to ensure that the drivers they hire are coming from a respectable background, such as requiring multiple board certified references and tracking cab drivers via installed GPS devices.
The suggested program of collecting biometric data and performing background checks on cab drivers would be similar to programs already in use in the area for autorickshaw drivers and as an optional program for background checks on tenants and domestic help for landlords.
Read the full story here.