Delhi HC demands Blueline phase-out plan in four weeks

New Delhi, Oct 8 (IANS) The Delhi High Court Monday took strong exception to the killing of innocent people by Blueline buses and asked the state government to prepare a detailed phase-out plan for the fleet that has claimed 94 lives this year, including seven on Sunday.

"Earlier, the court had given the government time till Dec 15 but after the Sunday accident, it has directed (the government) to submit a detailed phase-out plan for privately-owned Blueline Buses within four weeks from today," said Anup Bhambani, amicus curiae appointed by the court.

"The court, however, has given clear instructions that the phase-out should not affect the commuters. For every cancellation of Blueline bus permits, there should be a replacement," Bhambani told reporters.

The court has also asked the state government to furnish details of Blueline buses being owned and operated by city legislators and parliamentarians.

"Earlier it had asked the government to furnish details of such buses owned by police officials," he said, adding that instead of just punishing the errant drivers, their owners should also feel the heat.

"Just cancelling the licences of drivers will not be enough. The bus involved in fatal accidents should be impounded and sent to the workshop. And buses should not be released without a court order," he said.

Summoning the government and private operators for an urgent hearing on the issue, a bench of justices Mukul Mudgal and Reva Khetrapal termed the growing incidents of fatal accidents as "shocking".

"It's becoming shocking day by day and cannot get worse than this," the bench said in reference to the accidents by privately owned Blueline buses.

The court has fixed the next hearing of the case on Oct 11.

Seven people - five women, a four-year-old child and a man - were killed and eight injured when a recklessly driven Blueline bus ran over them in south Delhi's Badarpur area while trying to overtake a stationary bus from the wrong side.

Since January this year, Blueline buses have snuffed out 94 lives and injured over 160 others.

The capital has over 4,000 Blueline buses, which form a crucial part of the city's public transport system.