Immediate compensation for Delhi bus victims

Families of those killed or maimed by Blueline buses can expect an interim compensation from the owner of the rogue bus within a week, reports Harish V Nair.

Families of those killed or maimed by Blueline buses can expect an interim compensation from the owner of the rogue bus within a week, and not wait long years for an accident claims tribunal to decide their case.

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The Delhi High Court ordered on Wednesday that the owner of a rogue bus would have to pay Rs 1 lakh for each death and Rs 50,000 for serious injuries to get his bus released.

The amount, to be deposited with the magistrate, will go to the victim’s family as soon as they file an application and submit proof that they have approached a claims tribunal. This money will be deducted from the final award later.

The order also applies to Delhi Transport Corporation buses.

It comes after an HT campaign for relief to Blueline victims.

A bench headed by Chief Justice A.P. Shah said: “There has to be some immediate support. The rate of accidents involving Blueline buses and DTC are very high… it’s really tragic.”

Bluelines killed 124 last year, and it’s 80 already this year. DTC buses caused 32 deaths in 2007, and 21 so far this year.

There are 16 accident claims tribunals in Delhi, burdened with over 13,000 cases, which delays the final settlement of a case. In February, a woman committed suicide a day after a Blueline killed her husband at Nizamuddin.