New Delhi, Mar 29 (PTI) Delhi Transport minister Kailash Gahlot on Tuesday said from April 1, bus drivers who not ply on designated lanes will be slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 while repeat offenders can lose their driving licenses and get prosecuted under the Motor Vehicle Act.
The minister told the Delhi Assembly said the Transport department will launch the enforcement drive from April 1 under which all the DTC and cluster buses will follow lane discipline across the city.
He said the Traffic police has been asked for an intensive enforcement of the drive, and teams of Transport department will also be deployed.
He said the Transport department will also soon launch a WhatsApp number on which people can send videos of violations by bus drivers.
“Bus drivers violating designated lanes on the roads will be slapped with a fine of Rs 10,000 and they face suspension of driving licence, prosecution under MV Act and cancellation of vehicle permit on repeat offences from April 1,” Gahlot said.
A senior government official said the lane discipline enforcement drive would be undertaken in accordance with the Supreme Court orders.
He said the DTC and cluster buses will strictly ply on their designated lanes.
Light vehicles like cars may ply on the bus lanes during no entry hours but those obstructing the bus lanes will towed away. The bus lanes will be used exclusively by buses after lifting of no entry restrictions and if any light motor vehicle is found plying there may be challaned, he said.
After April 15, other heavy vehicles like trucks will also have to ply on the bus lane, he stated.
The fine imposed on the errant bus drivers will be charged from their own salaries and wages, the officer added.
The Transport minister said bus drivers have been trained and sensitised to maintain lane discipline.
The enforcement teams of Transport department regularly takes action against errant bus drivers. The teams issued 1,896 challans and impounded 921 buses from December 1 last year to March 1, 2022, he said.
In the first phase, from April 1-15, the DTC and cluster Buses will mandatorily ply in the designated bus lanes only and halt only at bus stops.
The marshals in the buses will ensure that the buses ply in their lanes and stop at designated bus boxes at the stops and also help clear the designated space if encroached by any other vehicle, said an order issued by Transport department.
They will be equally liable for penalties in cases of default. The Enforcement Wing of Transport department, and Delhi Trafic Police will also prosecute DTC and cluster bus operators and drivers, who violate lane discipline and halts at bus stops, said the order.
In the second phase from April 16-30, 75 Kms of earmarked stretches mainly on Outer Ring Road and few other corridors of National Capital Territory of Delhi will be covered under the drive.
In addition to public buses (DTC & Cluster), all private buses and heavy goods vehicles, medium goods vehicles and four-wheel light goods vehicles will also ply in the bus lanes on designated stretches during the permitted hours.
The third phase will begin from May 1, under which the enforcement drive will cover all 46 identified bus lane corridors across the city.
The Road owning agencies PWD, municipal corporations and New Delhi Municipal Council, will ensure that all bus lanes have thermoplastic paint and all bus bays are also prominently marked. PTI VIT VIT TDS TDS
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Source: The Print
