Bluelines: bus operators move hc, seek extension

The Blueline bus operators, facing a phase-out in 20 days, have moved the Delhi High Court seeking an extension of their permits for another five years.

The government plans to phase out Bluelines from the capital’s roads completely by December 14.

The Blueline bus operators contend that the government has not brought on road sufficient alternate buses before phasing out the Bluelines and this would inconvenience the public.

They say even the Supreme Court had said that the capital needed atleast 10,000 buses but the capital has just around 8,500 buses as on date.

This number includes the 2,500 Bluelines that are to be phased-out.

But the government has opposed the Blueline operator’s plea saying there is no way their permits could be extended and that alternative arrangements would be in place on time.

In an affidavit filed through Najmi Waziri, the counsel for the Delhi Transport Corporation and the Delhi Government, the Blueline operators have been told that their permits were being renewed every four months and there was a commitment before the court that no further extension would be sought.

Waziri said that after the last extension, all permits would expire on December 14, after which they will be phased out.

A Bench headed by Justice AK Sikri, which is overseeing the phase out process, will take up the Blueline operators plea and the government’s reply on December 7.

Says Kailash Vasdev, amicus curiae in the case: “The government will now have to convince the court that they have enough buses on road before the complete phase out. There will be chaos after December, if the buses are not replaced on time.”