Umbrella body for passenger safety in NCR mooted

Keeping in mind the recent gangrape of a woman in a moving bus in Delhi, a parliamentary panel is set to recommend an umbrella body for ensuring passenger safety in public transport in the NCR, Saubhadra Chatterji reports.

Keeping in mind the recent gangrape of a woman in a moving bus in Delhi, a parliamentary panel is set to recommend an umbrella body for ensuring passenger safety in public transport in the NCR.

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The proposal to ensure better coordination between agencies such as the transport department and Delhi Police was reportedly made by Sitaram Yechury — the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on transport, tourism and culture — at the panel's meet on Wednesday.

The move comes in the wake of the gangrape and the subsequent blame game by authorities involved in running the public transport system in Delhi.

While the parliamentary body met to primarily discuss the state of public transport in the country, the discussions veered around Delhi's transport system. Several other members supported the idea.

Delhi Police commissioner Neeraj Kumar, top traffic officials and transport department officials will be summoned in the panel's next meeting before the idea of an umbrella body is given the final shape, sources added.

Kumar had to recently appear before the parliamentary panel on home affairs and received flak for the lack of security for women in the capital.

The proposed body will aim to ensure smooth functioning between the executive and enforcement authorities and plug the loopholes in the public transport system.

"There is multiplicity of authorities. Most of the roads are built by central agencies and permits are issued by the state transport department. Delhi Police and its traffic department are the enforcement agencies but that is controlled by the Centre. There is an urgent need for better coordination," said a member of the panel.