No blueline buses this weekend

State govt asks bus operators to install speed governors before Monday

NEW DELHI: Cracking the whip on private blueline buses for the series of road accidents in the capital, the Delhi government on Friday hauled up transporters and directed them to take the vehicles off road for the weekend.

It asked the bus operators to install speed governors to offer commuters a safer mode of transport on Monday.

"We can't be mute spectators. We are compelled to take measures against these operators, because there was no let up by the drivers despite repeated warnings," said Sheila Dikshit, Delhi chief minister. She added that the blueline operators had assured the government but failed to keep their promise.

"In a bid to check the accidents, we have directed the traffic police to take strict action against them if the drivers are caught flouting traffic norms," the CM added.

In the past six months, the blueline operators have killed 64 people on Delhi roads, while another 31 people were run over by the state-sponsored buses of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC).

"We have asked the authorities to allow blueline buses on roads after they install speed governors and rectify their driving standards," Dikshit said.

The state government, however, asked the DTC to ply its buses in the weekend to prevent any inconvenience for commuters. Around 4,200 blueline buses would be off the Capital's roads.

"We have asked the traffic police to post home guards at bus stands to keep an eye on blueline drivers," said Dikshit.