Delhi: bus operators to meet minister

Operators of the 1,900 state carriage (non-DTC) buses in Delhi on Monday submitted their list of objections to the state transport authority, which is formulating new permit conditions. HT reports.

Operators of the 1,900 state carriage (non-DTC) buses in Delhi on Monday submitted their list of objections to the state transport authority, which is formulating new permit conditions.

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They would meet the transport minister on Tuesday before deciding weather they would go on strike against what they term “unfair conditions.”

According to operators, the transport department has included a new condition that permit of a vehicle involved in a fatal accident would be liable to be cancelled and if it was found to be involved in two fatal accidents, no further permit would be issued.

“Conforming to this condition is beyond the control of the owner of the vehicle. Accidents can occur due to several reasons,” operators said.

“The authority says electronic ticketing machines (ETMs) will be installed on the buses. We have said till ETMs are not installed, the operators should not be harassed,” said Shyam Lal Gola, general secretary of the state transport authority operator ekta manch.

“With regard to the condition over carrying passengers in excess of the registered seating and standing capacity, we are saying that it is impossible for us to prevent passengers from boarding the bus. There is already a huge crisis of buses in Delhi. The government should increase the number of buses,” he said.