Plea in HC to resume public transport in Delhi

HT Correspondent

HT Correspondent

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letters@hindustantimes.com

New Delhi: After the Union ministry of home affairs’ directed to let government and private offices open in the city, a plea was filed in the Delhi High Court seeking resumption of public transport services, stating that many do not own private vehicles and are solely dependent on public transport systems.

The plea, filed through advocate Prashant Vaxish, said the move of the governments to open offices has left a large number of people without the means to reach their workplace. It sought the unfurling of public transport modes while maintaining proper social distancing norms.

The petition, which is likely to be heard next week, said that according to data from the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority, about 25 lakh people use DTC buses per day. Similarly, the Delhi metro records a ridership of 15 lakh commuters on a single day basis. It said that hence, there is huge dependency on public transport in absence of which people are left in the lurch.

The plea, filed by law student Shreesh Chadha, also sought issuance of directions for framing of guidelines for ensuring the safety and hygiene of passengers while commuting.