New Delhi: In order to penalise errant drivers, the Delhi transport department will strictly enforce lane discipline for buses and goods carriers on 15 selected roads in the city by imposing fine April onwards.
The department will charge a fine of up to Rs 10,000 and six months of imprisonment for errant drivers in the city, according to news agency PTI.
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Those vehicles found running on other lanes will be liable for prosecution under Section 192-A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which prescribes a fine of Rs10,000, and imprisonment of up to six months.
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The transport department along with the traffic police will earmark dedicated lanes to be used by buses and goods carriers from 8 AM to 10 PM, as per the statement issued by the department.
Other vehicles may be allowed to run on these dedicated lanes during the remaining hours. However, buses and goods carriage vehicles, will have to stick to dedicated marked lanes round the clock, the statement said.
The first phase will see the enforcement drive conducted on 15 of the total 46 corridors selected under the initiative, it said.
These corridors include the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road stretch from Anuvrat Marg T-point to Pul Prahladpur T-point, Ashram Chowk to Badarpur Border, Janakpuri to Madhuban Chowk, Moti Nagar to Dwarka Mor, Britannia Chowk to Dhaula Quan, Kashmere Gate ISBT to Apsra Border, Signature Bridge-Bhopura Border, Jahangirpuri Metro Station-Kashmere Gate ISBT and ITO-Ambedkar Nagar among others.
"To make Delhi roads safer, the @ArvindKejriwal govt is starting Bus Lane Enforcement drives to increase Commuter Safety & tackle congestion. Directions have been issued to DTC & Cluster for driver sensitization, PWD for earmarking bus lanes & Transport, Police enforcement teams," transport minister Kailash Gahlot tweeted.</p
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Those violators will be penalised and prosecuted under the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and Delhi Maintenance and Management of Parking Places Rules, 2019, the statement mentioned.
The transport department has issued an advisory to its public fleet operators in the Delhi Transport Corporation and Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System Ltd to sensitise the drivers.
Also, the Public Works Department has been asked to mark and properly identify the corridors by placing warning signage and boards at suitable places.
It is to be noted that if any light motor vehicle, such as a car is found parked or unattended in the marked bus lanes and the owner or driver refuses to clear it, the vehicle will be towed away and the driver will have to bear the towing charges in addition to the penalty.