Blueline back, kills 21-yr-old biker

Sunday, Oct 24, 2010



The Bluelines are back on the roads and the traffic cops seem to have no clue about it. These killer buses claimed their 66th victim this year when a speeding Blueline on route 405 — plying between ISBT and Badarpur — hit a 21-year-old young man on a bike from behind and crushed him near Ashram Chowk. The victim, Tarun Saini, was the owner of a CD and video films shop in New Friends Colony in southeast Delhi. Last year till October 15, the total number of fatal accidents involving Bluelines was 97 and this year it was 65.

Though the driver was caught — thanks to the efforts made by a DTC driver — the cops say they do not have the necessary permissions to challan Blueline buses. However, for the Bhogal-based family, the loss is irreversible as Tarun was the sole breadwinner. Shockingly, Tarun's brother Dheeraj, who was on another bike, became an eyewitness to the entire incident. "I shouted when I saw my brother fall in front of me. Instead of stopping to help, the driver decide to flee. In the process, the rear tyre crushed my brother," said a distraught Dheeraj when the cops reached the spot.

"Neither have we been informed about the exact day on which the Bluelines are supposed to be back on the roads, nor do we have the powers to challan them for the violations of goverment approved routes. The challaning is supposed to be carried out by the transport department," said a top traffic police officer.

When contacted, senior transport department officials said they had already lifted the ban on 65 of the 200 Bluelines that were completely taken off the roads during the Commonwealth Games. "The Bluelines returned to the roads on October 18. We will take a decision on the plying of Bluelines in a meeting on October 25. However, we have decided to not let the Bluelines ply on NDMC area routes from October 25," said a senior officer.

The cops said both the deceased Tarun and his brother Dheeraj left their residence around 9.45am. "While Tarun was headed towards New Friends Colony, his brother was supposed to go to Nehru Place. When Tarun came down from the Bhogal flyover and was moving towards Ashram Chowk, the bus driven by Fayaz Khan (30) hit him from behind and crushed him. Fayaz tried to escape with his bus but was stopped by an alert DTC driver who had ferried CWG athletes. We have arrested the accused and a case of death due to rash and negligent driving has been registered at the Sunlight Colony police station," said the investigating officer.

While the capital on an average witnesses 22-23 non-fatal accidents and seven fatal accidents per day, the number had dipped to 16 non-fatal and four fatal accidents per day during the CWG. According to Delhi Police, between October 3 and 10 in 2008, they had registered 185 cases of non-fatal accidents while the number of fatal accidents was 48. This year, however, things were looking up as there were only 23 fatal accidents. "Accidents by Bluelines have shown a 35% decline this year. It can be due to the ban," said an officer adding that given a choice the Delhi traffic police would push for DTC buses.

Original news source http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Blueline-back-kills-21-yr-old-biker/articleshow/6800928.cms#ixzz13LvBnLZO