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The Delhi Government-run buses appear to be turning the ‘killer Blueline' way, registering almost double the number of fatal accidents in the first three months of this year compared with the same period last year.
According to Delhi Police statistics, 21 fatal accidents were reported by Delhi Transport Corporation buses this year till March 31 as against 11 during the corresponding period last year.
“This makes a sharp increase in fatal accidents by DTC buses. People have been raising serious concerns over how dangerously the DTC buses ply on the road and the same is reflected in fatalities caused by these vehicles,” Mr Satyendra Garg, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), said.
He pointed out that the strength of DTC buses has gone up but that alone does not account for the sharp increase in accidents. “Surely the way the DTC buses are being driven leaves much to be desired,” he said.
To check the menace, he said, traffic police have prosecuted erring drivers whenever grave violations “come to our notice.”
“As against 454 prosecutions in first three month last year, there were 1,799 cases this year, which is nearly four times greater than last year's number,” he said.
Police have also impounded 234 DTC buses when violations were serious. Last year, the number of buses impounded was 39 in the same period.
“All these measures and sensitizing senior officers of DTC about the ground situation, it is hoped, will improve the situation in the near future. People rightly expect government-owned DTC buses to be the model public transport,” he said.
He also pointed out that another menace on the road was the Gramin Sewa autos meant to cater to rural areas.
“These vehicles are flouting all rules of road discipline. Besides extreme overcrowding, they are a menace to traffic flow as well. We are prosecuting them vigorously despite people sometime accusing traffic police of patronising these vehicles. I am not denying that corrupt traffic police personnel maybe taking money from them but let me mention the prosecutions in last month or so have been 2,961, including 296 cases of impounding,” Mr Garg said.
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