Delhi transport department tows 50 vehicles for parking in designated bus lanes

The Delhi Transport department has begun cracking down on small vehicles violating the bus lanes. The department officials have towed away over 50 vehicles parked in the lanes designated for buses, and fined the drivers of these vehicles with ₹500 fine each. The towed vehicles included small cars, autos, e rickshaws and two-wheelers. The extreme left lane of a road in the city is reserved for plying of the buses only.

Besides, 97 drivers of the DTC and Cluster buses have also been fined with ₹10,000 each under the lane discipline drive launched on April 1 this year. The department has so far imposed fines of over ₹11 lakh on the violators of the bus lane norm. Officials have started towing away smaller vehicles that are found obstructing designated bus lanes or found parked there unauthorizedly.

The department has deployed 14 cranes to tow away smaller vehicles, and around 35 teams to focus on this crackdown. The drive will be further intensified by deploying more cranes, and roping in civil defence volunteers to help clear the bus lanes at stands and major road stretches.

The first violation of lane discipline by bus drivers will attract a fine of ₹10,000, while the second offence will lead to prosecution under the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act. The third offence may lead to suspension of driving licence and the fourth one may lead to termination of vehicle permit.

Currently, 46 major corridors in the city have been identified for implementation of the drive. The initiative will be implemented in three phases, covering 474.91 km in its final phase. Phase-1 of the drive will conclude on April 15, after which it will be expanded to cover the outer ring road and other adjoining areas.

Notably, light motor vehicle can ply in the earmarked bus lanes during no-entry timings for goods vehicles but when the no-entry period ends, the bus lanes will be used exclusively by buses and heavy vehicles.

(with inputs from PTI)