Govt would not succumb to blackmail: Yusuf

Amitabh Shukla

New Delhi, July 11

The ongoing Blueline crisis has landed the Delhi government in soup. It is a proverbial choice between the devil and the deep sea for the government. If it does not continue its crackdown on the killer Blueline buses, it faces the ire of the people. On the other hand, if it continues the drive, commuters would suffer as has been happening in the last two days after a majority of the Blueline buses went off the roads. In an interview, Transport Minister Haroon Yusuf, said the government would not budge under the blackmail tactics of the Bluelines. Excerpts.

Q: The present situation is heading for an impasse with commuters facing great difficulty. What is the government doing to resolve the crisis?

A: The prime concern of the government at this point is road safety. The drive is against the buses which are violating the permit conditions. We would not tolerate this at any cost. No lawlessness would be allowed on the roads and the safety of the commuters, pedestrians and other users of the road cannot be compromised.

Q: But why did the government wake up so late when it was well known that the Bluelines violate the permit conditions and are a threat to others on the road?

A: We keep a check on these buses and drives are launched. As the media attention is more this time, it is getting the focus. Some anomalies might have crept in the system over a period of time but we are determined to remove them and bring discipline on the roads.

Q: With few DTC buses on the roads and the Bluelines keeping off, what are the options for the average commuter?

A: From Thursday onwards, the DTC would ply 2800 buses on the city routes. We are withdrawing our services from the NCR and deploying them in the city. The DTC buses from Noida too would be withdrawn. UP State Transport Corporation has agreed to ply 135 buses for services between Noida and Delhi.

Q: What about the Bluelines? When will they start operating?

A: They are violating the permit conditions by staying off the roads. Action will be taken against them. We will evoke Essential Services Maintenance Act against them if the situation demanded. We are reviewing the situation on an hourly basis and a decision would be taken. The government is also talking to the operators.

Q: What are the plans to ensure that such crises do not reoccur?

A: We have short and long term plans. We intend to increase the DTC fleet to 5000 by next year. We have already issued expression of interest for getting cooperatives and companies to operate the bus based transport system. It is easier for the government to deal with bigger entities than the individual owners, which is the case at present. Training of drivers, introducing the Kilometer scheme etc. are the other measures which are being adopted.

Q: When will the crisis end? Can you give an assurance to the commuters of the city about the date when this Blueline mess would end?

A: All of us in the government are working hard to find a solution to the issues involved. At this point all I can say is that in the next 4-5 days at the most, services would become normal in the city. (2007)