NEW DELHI: From Friday, April 1, the Delhi government’s transport department is going to start a three-phase intensive enforcement drive to ensure buses of Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and Cluster Scheme keep to the bus lane or face a penalty of Rs 10,000.
The department has identified 46 major corridors encompassing 75 km for implementation of the drive, in consultationwith Delhi Traffic Police and other stakeholders.
It issued an order on Monday for strict implementation of bus lane driving discipline. The order states that as per directions of the Supreme Court, buses and goods vehicles plying during the permitted hours shall be confined to the bus lane and equally, no other motorised vehicle is permitted to enter the bus lane. Buses are also mandated to halt only at designated bus stops within the marked area.
Road-owning agencies like PWD or municipal corporations will have to ensure that all bus lanes have thermoplastic paint and all bus bays are marked out prominently, apart from ensuring bus lanes are clear of encroachments.
In the first phase, from April 1 to 15, it will be ensured that DTC and Cluster Scheme buses mandatorily ply in the designated bus lanes and halt only at designated bus stops, unless the bus lane is encroached upon or has a broken down or parked vehicle. Bus marshals deployed in all buses will have to ensure stoppage at designated bus stops and will also ensure clearing of bus bays in case of encroachment.
In the second phase, from April 16 to 30, heavy, medium, and four-wheeled light goods vehicles will alsoply on bus lanes during permitted hours, apart frominterstate buses, contract carriage buses and stage carriage buses.
In the identified corridors, which are zero tolerance zones, teams of the transport department will make proper announcements through megaphone to sensitise the vehicle drivers to ply their buses in bus lanes. Each team will have cranes to remove any unattended abandoned vehicle in the bus lane.
From May 1 onwards, the third phase will be rolled out and first-time offenders will be penalised up to Rs 10,000 with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months for violation of permit conditions.
For second offence, the violation by bus driver will be treated as dangerous driving and shall invite additional legal prosecution and for third offence, driving licence of the driver will also be suspended or cancelled. In case of suspension of licence, the driver will be unable to resume driving without a one month refresher course at DTC training school at Nand Nagri.
In case of fifth offence by the same vehicle, the permit of the vehicle may be suspended or cancelled after giving due opportunity of hearing to the permit holder, the order said.
