Police blind to tinted glasses on buses

A few days ago, a senior officer of the Delhi Traffic police took action against his own colleague for driving a car fitted with tinted glasses.

A few days ago, a senior officer of the Delhi Traffic police took action against his own colleague for driving a car fitted with tinted glasses.

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However, in a clear case of double standards, many low-floor, air-conditioned buses of the Delhi Transport Corp-oration (DTC), have tinted glasses, and are plying on Delhi roads, openly flouting rules.

Under a special provision, the Delhi government had allowed about 600 low-floor DTC buses to use tinted glasses, on a temporary basis, for Games duty.

Many of them, however, are being used as public transport vehicles and not for the Games.

The issue came to light when a city resident, Vedpal, sought queries under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

The RTI response revealed that under law, the use of tinted glasses in any vehicle in Delhi was not permitted. Also, no DTC bus has ever been challaned for using tinted glasses, so far. Said Vedpal: “Over 100 AC buses with tinted glasses have been plying as public transport vehicles, mostly in the south Delhi area. Surprisingly, the Delhi traffic police has not taken any action against any of them.”

However, an official of the traffic department says they turned a blind eye to these buses since issuing challans to them would have been a huge embarrassment for the Delhi government.

“Using tinted glass in vehicles is a clear violation of traffic norms. They will not be spared once the Games are over,” said Ajay Chadha, special commissioner of police (Traffic).

Naresh Kumar, chairman, DTC, admitted that some buses with tinted glasses were plying as public transport vehicles and were not being used for Games duty.

“Dark films were used on glasses on security grounds. Some of them may be functioning as public transport vehicles. We will try and remove the black films at the earliest, once the Games are over,” he said.