Curtains and unauthorised films on bus windows have also been banned under a fresh set of safety directions issued by the Delhi government on Tuesday. Panic buttons and vehicle tracking devices on buses operating in Delhi will now have to remain functional at all times.
The directions come after the alleged gangrape of a minor inside a moving sleeper bus. The incident has put the spotlight on women safety and the enforcement of safeguards on buses operating in and around the national capital. The Transport Department’s new directions apply to all bus operators in Delhi, including buses from other states. The Transport Department has directed bus operators to ensure that Vehicle Location Tracking Devices (VLTDs) and panic buttons remain functional and operational at all times. Every bus must carry serviceable fire extinguishers and first-aid kits. Operators have also been directed to ensure that buses are parked during night or idle hours only at authorised, secure and adequately lit locations. Every bus operating in Delhi must meet prescribed safety and operational standards, with essential systems and equipment remaining functional at all times. We are committed to making public transport safer and more reliable for every commuter. In case of indecent behaviour, molestation or any other offence against a woman, the bus crew must immediately inform the police and take the bus to the nearest police station, police post or PCR van, as applicable.
The crime, which brought back memories of the 2012 gang-rape and murder in Delhi known as the Nirbhaya case, took place on the night of August 4. After committing the crime, the conductor and driver abandoned the girl near Kashmere Gate, more than 40 kilometres from Greater Noida where she boarded the bus, police said. The Transport Department will undertake enforcement action to check compliance with the directions and applicable provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
Operators have been told to ensure that mandatory safety equipment and systems are not just installed but remain operational. Transport Minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh said: “Passenger safety is non-negotiable.
