Delhi Govt announces compensation

The Transport Minister says that Rs 1 lakh will be given to the family of the dead and the injured will be entitled to get free medical treatment.

Delhi government on Sunday announced a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the next of the kin of those mowed down by a speeding Blueline bus in the Capital.

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Announcing the compensation for families of seven persons killed in the accident, Transport Minister Harun Yusuf said those injured will be provided free treatment.

The government has also ordered a probe into the accident by Deputy Commissioner (South) Rajiv Kala, who was asked to submit the report within two days.

Soon after the incident, Yusuf told reporters, the government also instructed the Traffic Commissioner to cancel the permit of the bus, plying between Badarpur and Minto Road.

The Minister chaired a meeting of the senior officials of the Transport Department this afternoon.

Yusuf said the speed governor of the bus involved in the accident was tampered with. The bus has undergone the mandatory tests recently, he added.

Ruling out immediate phasing out of Blueline buses from the capital's roads, he said, "we cannot immediately phase out Blueline buses as we do not have sufficient transport facility to fill the gap."

He said more government-run buses will be on the roads from next month and tenders have been floated for about 1,000 new buses.

"Traffic police has been asked to rein in erring buses. Enforcement will be strengthened," Yusuf added.

The Delhi government had recently ordered a crackdown on Blueline buses after their frequent involvement in accidents claiming a number of lives.

With today's mishap, the number of people who died in accidents involving Blueline buses this year have reached 93.