In a first, Delhi commuters vandalise buses at 2 spots over Covid curbs

The restriction, requiring Delhi Metro and buses operate at 50% seating capacity with no standing passengers, came into force from Wednesday as authorities sounded a yellow alert to contain the spread of Omicron variant of the coronavirus disease.

NEW DELHI: Commuters waiting for buses to get to work on Thursday morning vandalised buses at two locations to protest the shortage of buses after the government decided to cap the number of passengers in buses and metros at 50% of its seating capacity.

Window panes of six buses were damaged by the public in two incidents in south Delhi. They were angry at not being allowed into buses which are allowed to operate at 50% seating capacity with no standing passengers. (Twitter video/Screengrab)

Additional deputy commissioner of police, south district, Mandava Harsha Vardhan said window panes of six buses were damaged by the public in two incidents. Legal action is being taken in these cases.

The first incident was reported at about 8.15am when the police received multiple phone calls about a traffic jam near Jamia Hamdard on south Delhi’s Mehrauli Badarpur Road. When the police reached the spot, they found that some bus commuters instigating others as well to sit on the road as bus drivers and marshalls were not allowing more than 17 passengers in each bus in line with the Covid-related curbs ordered by the government, the police officer said.

The restrictions came into force from Wednesday as authorities sounded a yellow alert to contain the spread of Omicron variant of the coronavirus disease. As part of the curbs put in place as part of the first phase of the graded response action plan to stop the spread of the infection, Delhi Metro and buses operate at 50% seating capacity with no standing passengers.

“The police tried to convince the agitated public to allow the traffic to pass by but in vain. After some time, the public started causing damage to the buses and broke window panes of five buses. To defuse the situation, the protesting public were removed with help of women police staff (since some of the protesters were women),” Mandava Harsha Vardhan said, insisting that the police did not use force to disperse the crowd as alleged by some people.

“In the process one police person also sustained injury,” the officer said.

The district police received a second report of passengers creating ruckus at 10,30am, in Sangam Vihar, about 3km from the spot where the first incident was reported. They were also angry about not being allowed to travel into the buses due to the cap on seating capacity.

Mandava Harsha Vardhan said a group of men blocked the road and broke the window panes of a DTC bus around 10.30 am. “Police dispersed the crowd and a case is being registered at Sangam Vihar police station. Five persons have been detained,” he said.