Free ride for cops in BRT corridor?

On a day when Delhi Traffic Police fined 34 vehicle owners for plying on this exclusive bus lane, MiD DAY lensman Subhash Barolia caught a police inspector being allowed to go through

Free ride for cops in BRT corridor?

On a day when Delhi Traffic Police fined 34 vehicle owners for plying on this exclusive bus lane, MiD DAY lensman Subhash Barolia caught a police inspector being allowed to go through

How ironical is this? On Wednesday, Delhi Traffic Police challaned thirty four violators for driving on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor. However, a Delhi Police inspector, deputed as additional Station House Officer (SHO) at Greater Kailash police station, went scot-free, ostensibly by abusing his power. MiD DAY photographer Subhash Barolia managed to capture the entire drama when the inspector, took the bus lane to escape the traffic snarl. He was stopped by a traffic cop and was then allowed to drive through the corridor.

A traffic policeman stops the Toyota Etios being driven by a police
inspector; part of his uniform and stars are visible (highlighted)

En route
At around 4.45 pm, when Delhi Traffic Police officials were busy penalising errant vehicle owners, a traffic cop near Masjid Moth saw a Toyota Etios making its way through the BRT corridor. He flagged down the car. But when he identified the police official in uniform sitting in the car, he smiled at him and allowed the vehicle to go through. When this MiD DAY reporter asked the traffic cop why the car was not penalised, he said, "There was an additional SHO of GK police station sitting in the car. So I let him go".

The traffic policeman recognises the man behind the wheels.

In a jam
There was heavy traffic at the point on roads adjoining the BRT corridor. However, only buses and emergency vehicles are allowed to enter the lane. BRT is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling.

With a knowing smile he allows the vehicle to go through.
Pics/ Subhash Barolia

The goal of these systems is to approach the service quality of rail transit while still enjoying the cost savings and flexibility of bus transit. BRT systems come in a variety of forms, such as dedicated busways with their own rights-of-way (such as Ottawa's Transitway or Pittsburgh's Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway), bus services using HOV lanes, dedicated freeway lanes (such as Honolulu's CityExpress) and limited stop buses on pre-existing routes.

When contacted, Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Satyendra Garg said: "If it is established that any police officer was driving on the BRT lane, action will certainly be taken against him." Garg said that no one, even if it's a police officer, can be allowed to violate traffic rules.- Inputs from Anurag Jadli

Fine drive
Delhi Traffic Police began a special BRT corridor drive on Wednesday, in which challans are being issued to those private vehicles that stray into the corridor. Sources told MiD DAY that thirty four challans were issued on Wednesday, worth two thousand rupees each. Twenty three cars, six bikes and a private taxi were penalised. All in all, sixty eight thousand rupees went into the kitty of Delhi traffic police yesterday.

Much maligned
Transport experts have several times criticised the government for messing up the execution of Delhi's first BRT corridor - the 5.8km stretch between Ambedkar Nagar and Moolchand Hospital in south Delhi. The experts also believe that no detailed project report (DPR) was prepared while executing the maiden BRT corridor and several changes were made last minute, and even after opening the road for traffic to accommodate changes suggested by experts and engineers.