Inspection of bus lane enforcement drive near Apollo Hospital, Ashram Chowk
Inspection was carried out at the Ashram Chowk to Badarpur Corridor near Apollo Hospital and reviewed the implementation of initiative with senior transport officials and enforcement staff on ground today.
The Delhi government had started an intensive enforcement drive for bus drivers and goods carriage vehicles on 1st April 2022 to enhance road safety, reduce congestion and improve bus service through greater passenger loads and improved trip services.
During the ongoing enforcement drive, the entire city DTC and cluster buses will continue to mandatorily ply in the designated bus lanes only and halt at bus stops designated for the purpose.
“No other vehicle will stop/park in the bus lanes. However, auto-rickshaws, taxies, three-wheel goods and all private vehicles can pick and drop passengers at points which will be about 75 meters ahead of designated bus queue shelters (BQS). Any parking in the bus lanes by such vehicles will be deemed a violation of permit conditions/rules frame under the MV Act, 1988 as applicable.”
The enforcement drive is currently going through its first phase of implementation where a 75 km of stretch (largely outer ring road and four more stretches) is intensively covered by enforcement teams backed with pick up cranes to remove temporary encroachments/parked/abandoned vehicles including push carts, e-carts, e-rickshaws etc. from bus lane:. After first phase of implementation of Bus Lane drive will be extended on all roads with width of more than 45 meters on a total stretch of about 270 kms will be undertaken.
As of 19.04.2022, 85 vehicles have been lifted/toed for improper parking in the bus lane, 729 no parking challans issued against improper parking on the spot and 237 challans have been issued against the bus drivers which includes 126 cluster and 111 DTC buses. To implement the lane discipline majors, total 82 teams headed by ASI/SI/Inspector in the Enforcement Teams with 5 subordinate staff will be deployed in the full phase of drive where 30 teams each will function in two shifts in the daytime and 20 teams will function during the night duty. At present 30 teams are deployed for the Lane Discipline Enforcement. 14 cranes have been attached with these teams (7 each for day and night shifts) for lifting parked vehicles and enforcement team has been using 57 enforcement vehicles in which 30 are fitted with megaphones for making announcement for bus lane discipline.
The Transport Department will also employ deploy mobile units that can rush to places where there are reports of bunching from a central control room. It will also deploy static enforcement teams at each bus queue shelter with help of civil defense volunteers across the city whose role will be to ensure that the bus queue shelters and area around it is clear of any encroachments. Bus Marshals have also been engaged for reporting the violation. Bus marshals have been asked to click pictures of any obstructions on the way upon approaching bus queue shelters or bus lane/no tolerance zones. These pictures are sent on an assigned WhasApp number to the enforcement team at the Command Control Center, with date and time stamp which is used as basis for issuance of challans.
To address the bunching of buses in a structural manner, Delhi government has developed a technology tool to give real time updates on bunching (caused by obstruction or wrongly parked vehicles) where enforcement teams can rush with cranes. DTC and cluster buses have been directed to start their first trip of the day as per the assigned schedule to avoid bus bunching further in the day, as this could become a key reason for bunching in the morning peak hours. 3 DIMTS bus operators have been deployed in integrated command and control center (CCC) to analyze the issue of bus bunching and co-ordinate with the on-ground enforcement teams to resolve it. Using the technology platform, an alert system has also been developed for swift action in case of cluttering of buses. Cluster buses have also been fitted with front camera for monitoring of stretch congestion and taking necessary and swift action.
To improve the citizen convenience, an area 75 meters ahead of the bus queue shelters is designated as pick-up and drop-off area of appropriate dimensions for Auto, Taxi, and cars. Transport Department has been working with PWD and TRIPP center, IIT Delhi for improved marking of bus box designs, road markings and sign boards. A pilot stretch between Brittania Chowk to Raja Garden junction has been identified based on data of bunching for implementation of signages for overtaking zones, expanded bus lanes, modules bus queue shelters and pick off and drop off points. Cycle lanes/lanes for non-motorized transport will also be included in the markings in these priority corridors.
The first phase of drive would be implemented till 15th May 2022, following which the second phase of Bus Lane discipline implementation will focus on all roads of width of 45 mtrs and above over the stretch of about 270 kms.
During the inspection of ongoing drive, Transport Minister of Delhi Kailash Gahlot stated: “Making Delhi Roads safer for common citizens and our buses a very reliable mode of transport is extremely important to us given our commitment to improve transportation in Delhi. We had assured citizens of Delhi for developing a safe, accessible, smart, and sustainable transport for all. In last couple of years, we have already upgraded technology and infrastructure in our buses such as installation of CCTV cameras and panic buttons in buses, its two-way connection with integrated command-and-control center, live tracking, presence of bus marshals etc. With enforcement drive, our objective is to inculcate safer driving practices and lane discipline within bus drivers and other vehicles plying on our road. It is an evolving process and transportation department will take necessary steps to address issues on ground as the initiative expands in other areas in its next phase. I urge the bus commuters to wait only at the Bus stops/ Bus Queue shelters and not step onto the bus box, so that we can ensure maximum compliance to this drive. We hope to receive maximum cooperation from the citizens for the initiative.”
