Cops look away as private buses flout SC guidelines in Ludhiana

Despite Supreme Court’s guidelines against black films and curtains in buses, transport authorities and traffic police in the city are playing mute spectators to the violations.

Despite Supreme Court’s guidelines against black films and curtains in buses, transport authorities and traffic police in the city are playing mute spectators to the violations.

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The windows of a large number of buses plying from local and inter-state bus stand here are covered with black films and curtains, thus violating the guidelines of the Supreme Court and Motor Vehicles Act.

A top official from All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), said, “Black films or curtains in the private buses, especially long-route buses, is a direct invitation to crime in general as you do not know what is taking place inside. Gover nment every now and then talks about women safety, but is silent on the issue which can be a threat to the safety of women. Despite clear-cut guidelines private bus owners are violating basic transport norms.”

One of the passengers in a bus having black films rued, “Most of the private Volvo buses have black films and curtains installed in them. Given the fact that crime is on the rise, women feel insecure travelling in such buses.” HT spoke to ACP (traffic) Ludhiana, Harjit Singh, who responded, “I have never been told about this illegality. I will visit the places myself and if anything found wrong, the owners of these private buses would be asked to remove the black films and issued challans for violating the SC guidelines.”