The Hindu : Front Page : Delhi to phase out Blueline buses

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 04, 2007
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Delhi to phase out Blueline buses

Staff Reporter

The killers will be removed from the roads, announces Chief Minister

NEW DELHI: Reacting to the huge public outcry in the Capital against rashly driven Blueline buses, one of which killed a 13-year-old boy and injured his father and brother along with several others this past Sunday, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday announced that these buses would be replaced in a phased manner.

The Delhi Government, she said, would replace them with low-floor high-capacity buses and also formulate fresh guidelines for the operation of bus services in the city. “Blueline buses will be removed from Delhi roads in a phased manner,” announced Ms. Dikshit, adding that the Government would work out a plan for their replacement. She said they could not be taken off the roads immediately as that would hamper transportation services in general and also lead to unemployment.

At present there are nearly 3,400 Blueline buses operating on the Capital’s roads. The Chief Minister did not clarify if the owners of these buses would be allowed to operate the low-floor high-capacity buses, whether some cooperative would be formed for the purpose, or if the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) would operate the service. The low-floor buses are successfully operating on two of the city routes at the moment.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Haroon Yusuf visited the family of Morick Sharma, the Class V student of S. M. Jain Montessori School who was killed in the bus accident on Sunday. The Minister assured the distraught family that strong action would be taken against the bus owner and driver. The driver was arrested by the Delhi police on Monday.

Mr. Yusuf announced that the Government had “some plan in mind” for private bus operators and that it would initiate strong action against the erring drivers. ``Over-speeding buses will be impounded,” he warned.

Action against the Blueline buses was long awaited as they have been involved in most of the 448 fatal accidents in the city involving buses during the past three years.

Delhi, which has over 4.7 million registered vehicles, witnesses an average of four deaths in road accidents each day.

Realising the importance of reining in the private bus operators, Mr. Yusuf also met them later in the day. He warned the Blueline operators to mend their ways or face dire consequences.

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