By IANS
New Delhi : Coming down heavily on Blueline buses, Delhi High Court Monday told owners of the ‘killer buses’ to deposit the compensation for accident victims before seeking release of their confiscated vehicles. It also asked the government to calculate the cost of living index for a final compensation amount.
A division bench headed by Justice Mukul Mudgal asked bus operators to pay a compensation of Rs.100,000 each to the kin in case of death, Rs.50,000 each for grievous injuries and Rs.25,000 each for minor injuries caused by the buses.
Dealing with an application of about 10 bus operators seeking release of their impounded buses, the court said their vehicles would be released only after compensation is paid.
“Pay the compensation and then the court would order the release of the buses,” said the court emphatically, reminding the owners that the death toll in Blueline accidents in the city had crossed 108 so far this year.
The money would be deducted from the amount finally awarded by the Motor Accident Claim Tribunal (MACT) courts, the high court said.
“It’s becoming shocking day by day and cannot get worse than this,” the bench said, referring to the frequent accidents caused by these privately owned buses.
The court also asked the central government counsel to calculate the cost of living index from November 1994 till date. “The cost of living index must have gone up after so many years. So get us the figures first and update them in the Motor Vehicle Act and then we will pass any order on the compensation,” said the bench.
The capital has over 4,000 Blueline buses, which form a crucial part of the city’s public transport system.