New Delhi: October 10, 2007 -  After sacrificing dozens of innocent lives on the road, the Delhi Govt. has directed the Delhi Traffic Police to impound 300 Blueline buses for violation of traffic rules. The people were agitated,  but the Delhi Govt. was in a mode to put off the matter by declaring a compensation of Rs. One lac each.

The intervention of the High Court Delhi did not allow Delhi Govt. to escape with any excuse and asked for their explanation how and when it could get rid of Blueline buses.

The move against the grave violation of the Blueline buses picked up high provocation by the people when it killed seven people on the road and  on Tuesday, three persons were run over by the Blueline bus and the third was injured seriously.

The Delhi Govt was not taking any effective step under some political pressures and due to vested interests. That’s why they were issuing licences on individual basis discarding the corporate permits. The govt issued 5000 licenses to the owners of the Blueline buses, and felt problem to locate their owners in case of violation, some of the addresses are fake. 

How to stop this havoc was a question with the people and the Delhi High Court of course came to the rescue of the people. The High Court gave two days to the Delhi Govt. to seek corporatisation.

On Tuesday, three people were run over, two of them died and the third is seriously injured.  ''Corporates will manage the fleet,'' said Tejinder Khanna, Lt Governor, Delhi.

The decision is hard and requires an iron rod of discipline and this time the mode of the Delhi High Court and of he Lt. Governor, Delhi look to have made up their mind to stop the innocenent killings on the road. (IR Summary).

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When the government introduced privatized buses for Delhi, it didn't know that would be its Frankenstein. Bluelines were meant to be a quick and easy solution for a city desperately short of public buses, so a few years ago the government went private.

But instead of licensing buses to corporates, they issued permits to individuals. Today, the 5000 Bluelines in service have nearly as many owners. Keeping track of them is impossible.

''You have as many operators as buses. Government can't manage more than five or maximum 10 operators. It's time to bring in the corporates,'' said Rohit Baluja, Traffic Expert.

Most of the people who hold official permits don't run Bluelines themselves. They sub-contract them to small-time operators who are desperate to cut corners.

And so drivers are inexperienced or unlicensed and are often paid on the basis of how many journeys they make in a day and how many passengers they shuttle. So there's much more incentive to speed than to play it safe.

So bring in the corporate who will provide better management and accountability and provide real salaries and job safety and that's likely to improve standards.

But the chief minister has little faith in outsourcing buses to one or a few big companies.

''Where are the buses and where are the corporates,'' said Shiela Dikshit, Chief Minister, Delhi.

Experts point out that radio cabs in Delhi, which have been privatized with four operators, are doing exceptionally well, providing a safer experience than the traditional yellow and black cabs.

And in any case they say, as Bluelines show no signs of slowing down, the government has nothing to lose by trying a new route.

Meanwhile, there was high drama near Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's residence as BJP leader Vijay Goel drove a blueline bus near her house to convey the message that private buses were being run by inexperienced drivers like him.

''I want to congratulate those who are unhurt despite having come in front of the vehicle,'' said Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister, Delhi.

Vijay Goel was later formally arrested.