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CPI (ML) targets Metro, Blueline buses in Capital

     New Delhi: The Communist Party of India (Marxist- Leninist) on Monday accused the Delhi Government of adopting an anti-people transport policy and called for the closure of all Blueline buses and termination of the ongoing Metro rail project. Addressing supporters at a public meeting in the Capital, Rajendra Pratholi, the secretary of the Delhi State Committee, said: "Blueline buses should be taken over by the Delhi Transport Corporation and Metro rail project should be stopped because it is anti-poor and out of reach of the common people." "The Metro rail project is very expensive, and out of reach of the majority of the population. Therefore, it may not be a substitute for road transport for the common people," he added. Pratholi further went on to say that the sole objective of plying Blue Line buses in the capital was to earn a profit. "They (Blue Lines) hardly care for the safety and convenience of the common people. Women are harassed and feel insecure in the blue line buses," claimed Uma Gupta, the convener of APAVA.

     The Union Ministry of Transport took over the local bus services in Delhi in May 1948 in the name of Delhi Transport Service when they found that the services offered by the Gwalior and Northern India Transport Company Ltd., the then licensee, were inadequate. A Delhi Road Transport Authority was constituted under the Road Transport Corporation Act, 1950. This Authority became undertaking of Municipal Corporation of Delhi by an Act of Parliament in April 1958. On the recommendation of a Working Group of Planning Commission which concluded that Delhi Transport as an extension of Municipal Corporation of Delhi had not been functioning efficiently and adequately resulting in leakage of revenue and very high operation cost, Govt. of India took over the management of the undertaking by passing the Delhi Road Transport Laws (Amendment) Act, in 1971. It took over the assets and liabilities from the erstwhile Delhi Transport Undertaking (DTU) operated by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi till 2nd Nov 1971. Thus the DTC was set up in 1971.

     There are about 3,500 privately operated Blue Line buses and about 3,000 DTC buses in Delhi for public transport. About two thirds of the DTC fleet is beyond the recommended age of four to 5 years, some even beyond 8-10 years. Most of these buses require phasing out as their condition is beyond normal maintenance measures. Their continued use has resulted in emissions of very high levels of smoke and particulates. The manufacturers of these buses have given to understand that there is very little that can be done to improve the performance of vehicles, including pollution control, if such vehicles continue to function beyond the recommended age and carry more than the permitted load of passengers. The blue-line buses, which were introduced in 1992- 93, would require phasing out in a couple of years. It is stimated that by the year 2001, Delhi would require 15,000 buses to cater to the peak passenger traffic. All buses, particularly during peak hours, carry more than the recommended load of passengers. This results in higher smoke emissions. High capacity buses require to be inducted for carrying more passengers. The worst polluters should be taken off the heavy traffic corridors and high density areas. Similarly, for trucks, enforcement of laws related to overloading require to be enforced vigorously.

      The Delhi Metro Rail project was started in 2000. The capital cost of phase I is Rs. 6, 000 crores at Apr 96 price level. However taking into account the element of escalation during construction period of seven-and-half years, the completion cost has been estimated as Rs.10, 571 crores. The expected ridership, in the year 2005, is 21.82 lakhs passenger trips per day. The system is capable of running trains at two minutes interval. Delhi has a population of about 12 million and is, perhaps, the only city of its size in the world, which depends almost entirely on buses on it sole mode of mass transport. Bus services are inadequate and heavily over-crowded. This situation had led to proliferation of personalised vehicles, so much so that Delhi has more registered vehicle than the total number of vehicles in Mumbai,Calcutta and Chennai put together. Nearly 70 percent of these are two wheelers. This results in extreme congestion on the road, ever slowing speeds, increasing accident rate, fuel wastage and environmental pollution. To meet forecast transport demand for the year 2001, the number of buses will have to be at least doubled and personalised vehicles will grow three fold. This sure to lead to further worsening of the levels of congesting and pollution, Which had already crossed acceptable limits in many part of the city.

Kochi's Cardinal leaves for Vatican (Go To Top)

     Kochi (Kerala): As India continued to mourn Pope John Paul II's death for the second day, one of five cardinals from India left for the Vatican on Monday to participate in his funeral and to chose his successor. The conclave to elect a new Pope will start in 15 to 20 days, with 117 cardinals from around the globe gathering in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel for the vote. Two of five cardinals from India are ineligible to vote having crossed 80 years. Cardinal Mar Verkey Vithayathil from Kochi, who left for the Vatcian on Monday, Archbishop Ivan Dias from Bombay and Cardinal Toppo from Ranchi would vote. The cardinals will meet daily before the funeral, but could decide as early as Monday when to open the conclave.

     Talking to reporters before leaving for Vatican, Vithayathil said, the chances of Asian, Black or an Indian Pope could not be ruled out. "Its a great duty that I am going to accomplish namely to elect a new Pope. I only ask you to pray that God may enlighten the cardinals to choose the right man to be the sucessor of Pope John Paul II," said Vithayathil. Cardinal Vithayathil said that their prime concern would be to choose one who would be a true witness of the Gospel. Cardinals, often referred to as the "princes of the Church", are the closest advisors to the pope and are personally named by him. They are usually archbishops of major dioceses or heads of influential agencies at the Vatican. They outrank all other clergy besides the Pope.

     On Sunday, the Pope's body was shown on television for the first time while it was being removed to the Vatican's Sala Clementia to facilitate the paying of last respects by officials of the Vatican, members of the Italian Government and the diplomatic corps. Among the first dignitaries to pay their respects were Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi and his wife, Franca. They were followed by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and members of the Italian cabinet. With his death officially certified by the Vatican, the College of Cardinals will hold a congregation today to plan Pope John Paul II's funeral. He is to be buried between Wednesday and Friday, Italy's official ANSA news agency quoted reliable sources as saying. John Paul II was the first non-Italian Pope in four-an-half centuries and the first one from Eastern Europe. The election for the new Pope will take place between the 15th and 20th day from the day of the present Pope's death (April 17 or April 22). A formal notification for the conclave to elect the new Pope would be issued by the Vatican soon.

J and K bank opens counter at LoC post (Go To Top)

     Srinagar: A counter of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank has been opened at the Kaman Post along the Line of Control (LoC) to provide foreign currency to those travelling on the Srinagar- Muzaffarabad bus, resuming service on April 7 after more than 57 years. Informing about the initiative, the Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank, M.Y.Khan said, "To begin with, we have set up a counter at the Kaman Post along the LoC. We are planning to open more such counters in future". The Chairman of the bank, further said, that the passengers of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus will be able to get foreign currency (dollars) at the Kaman Post bank counter after producing travel permit issued by the Regional Passport Officer, Srinagar and an identity card. However, he did not reveal the amount of foreign currency to be provided to a passenger. "We are awaiting Government's directives in this regard," he said. On the other hand, the National Bank of Pakistan has decided to establish two counters - one at Chakothi near the LoC and the second at Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). On these counters, every passenger will be allowed to draw 50 US dollars on production of entry permit issued by the Muzaffarabad Deputy Commissioner and a copy of national identity card.

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