DTC to double bus services at night, deploy Home Guards: Govt

New Delhi: Strengthening public transport system during night hours in the wake of gang-rape of a young girl, the Delhi government on Wednesday decided to double services of state-run buses during night hours to 85 and deploy Home Guards in it.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and attended by Transport Minister Ramakant Goswami, Chief Secretary PK Tripathi, Transport Commissioner Rajinder Kumar and other senior officials. Dikshit also held a meeting with her cabinet colleagues in the morning and discussed the overall situation arising out of the December 16 gangrape incident and subsequent violent protests. At her meeting with the Transport Minister and officials, she instructed them to improve the overall services of Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), which operates a fleet of around 6,000 buses which include 4,000 low-floor buses. Directing the Transport Department to ensure security and safety, the Chief Minister said that DTC would now ply 85 buses instead of 42 under its night service to enable the passengers to travel across the city. "The routes would probably touch all important junctions in the city. To ensure safety and security of passengers during night, Home Guards would be deployed in the buses. The Department may also consider deployment of Home Guards in DTC buses during evening hours at a later stage," Dikshit said. The new measures came against the backdrop of the gang-rape and brutal assault of a 23-year-old girl in a moving bus, an illegal chartered bus, in south Delhi. The incident raised a hue and cry for improved public transport system during night hours. On Grameen Sewa and auto rikshaws, Dikshit said a large number of complaints have been pouring in stating violation of routes, overcrowding, overcharging and denial to ply as per the need of passengers. "The Transport Department would now take strict action on receipt of complaints. Action may include cancellation of permits. The Department would disseminate a telephone number to facilitate the passengers to register their complaints," Dikshit said. "As regards action against buses with tinted glasses, the Transport Commissioner is addressing a letter to Special Commissioner of Traffic Police to intensify strict action against such buses as per the instructions of Hon?ble Supreme Court," she said. The Department has been asked to strengthen its Enforcement Wing as the number of vehicles in the city has gone up manifold. The Department would be deploying more personnel in its Enforcement Wing, she said. "The Transport Department has been told to take all possible measures to bring a substantial improvement in the transport sector in the capital city. "The Department after due consideration would chalk out a detailed action plan to bring improvement in the public transport system, its zonal offices and vehicles plying on the roads in respect of enforcement of the rules and regulations," she said. PTI