New Delhi, Sep 29 (New Delhi) The Delhi High Court Wednesday gave the green signal to the Delhi government and Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) to include 500 low-floor buses from the manufacturers Ashok Leyland after they recorded before the court that the new fleet of buses was of the highest standard.
Now the fleet would be used during the Commonwealth Games and would fill the vacuum created by the sudden pullout of 1,600 Blueline buses from Delhi roads. ‘Bus supplier will be liable even in case of any problem or in case of third party claims,’ said the bench comprising Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice Reva Khetrapal.
The CBI had registered a case against Ashok Leyland for supplying sub-standard buses to the Delhi government. After this a showcause notice was issued to the manufacturer by DTC asking why the contract should not be cancelled. The case was registered after a series of mishaps took place in the capital in which several low-floor buses of Ashok Leyland caught fire.
‘They have assured that the new buses are safe and even rendered an indemnity bond (taking full financial and other risks for any eventuality). The court was kind enough to allow the buses to be part of the existing fleet,’ said Sumit Pushkara, standing counsel for the DTC.
The Delhi government and DTC informed the Delhi High Court Tuesday that they had ‘cracked the whip’ on one of the bus manufacturers, Ashok Leyland, following which the latter has certified that a fleet of 500 buses made by it meet the highest safety standard.
Informing the bench of Justice Sikri and Justice Khetrapal, standing counsels for the government and DTC, Najmi Waziri and Sumeet Pushkarna said there is an urgent need to put this fleet of 500 buses on the city roads in view of the removal of Bluelines.
