The Delhi High Court on Friday said that the Delhi Government’s notification to phase out Blueline buses from December 14 would have no impact on plying of these buses on South Delhi routes.
Justice Indermit Kaur in her order said the Court’s stay on the decision of the Government to begin phasing out these buses from South Delhi would be in operation till further orders and these buses would continue to ply on the routes in that particular area as usual.
She also made it clear that if these bus routes happen to pass through the areas falling under the New Delhi Municipal Council, they would be allowed to ply in those areas as well.
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The Court clarified this as the Government has banned the operation of Blueline buses in the NDMC area.
The Court had in March stayed the Government’s decision to send Blueline buses packing from South Delhi (Cluster-1) on a petition by a group of Blueline bus operators.
The Court passed these directions on a petition by a group of these operators. On another petition challenging the notification for phasing out of these buses completely from December 14, the Court said that it would hear this plea on November 22.
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The Court took strong objection to the issuance of the notification when there was already a stay on phasing out these buses from South Delhi.
The Court also questioned the hurriedness on the part of the Government to phase out these buses when it was not ready with the required number of buses to meet the demand of commuters.
The Government has to press into service about 11,000 buses on the city roads to make up the shortfall in the event of phasing out of Bluline buses but till date it had been able to manage only a fleet of 6,000 buses.