FIR against regional head of redBus for 'illegal' stoppages of buses

A regional head of redBus was on Wednesday booked for violating a government order directing the online bus booking portal to de-list from its website some drop and pickup points on highways here, the Noida administration said.

The administration said that from May 2 no vehicles are allowed to stop on the Noida-Greater Noida Highway, the Yamuna Expressway starting from the Mahamaya Flyover to pick up or drop passengers in order to avoid accidents on these stretches.

"It was found that several travels and bus operators were plying illegally after getting passenger bookings through redBus portal. These buses would also show drop and pickup points at Zero Point on Mahamaya Flyover, at Pari Chowk, and various other spots in Greater Noida, which is illegal," City Magistrate Shailendra Mishra said.

A notice on e-mail was issued to redBus on May 15 and its regional head, Sachin Gapat, was also apprised about the violation over the phone and asked to de-list these points from the website but no action has been taken by it so far, he said.

"No compliance to the order shows that redBus has colluded with private bus services and operators for monetary benefit and is deliberately cheating passengers by encouraging illegal bus operations, illegal bus stoppages, and accidents on the Yamuna Expressway," Mishra said.

A first information report (FIR) has been registered against Delhi-based Gapat at the Noida Sector 39 police station, a police official said.

"Gapat has been booked under Indian Penal Code sections 420 (fraud) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and a probe has been taken up," SHO Prashant Kapil told PTI on Wednesday night.