SC asks Delhi govt to increase buses in the Capital

The Supreme Court today asked Delhi government to increase the number of buses it is plying to 10,000 and ensure their proper maintenance in order to improve the public transportation system.
A bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur passed the directions after amicus curiae Harish Salve said the apex court's July 27, 1998, order to Delhi government to augment the bus fleet from 5,000 to 10,000 has not been complied with.
He submitted that the Delhi government has not taken any step for implementation of the order and, as a result, public transport is in a "poor state of affairs".

"We direct the government of NCT to comply with the directions to augment the bus fleet. The NCT government will take steps for providing additional buses and serious implementation of the order for bus augmentations," the bench, also comprising justices A K Sikri and R Banumathi, said.
On the submissions made by the Delhi government that there has been lack of space for bus parking as the possession of 45 acres of land out of 78 acres allotted by the DDA has not been delivered, the apex court said "there is no reason as to why the land allocated for the purpose be not handed over."

"Since DDA is not a party, Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar will take an instruction so that the land in question get allotted to the Delhi government," the bench said.