CCTV cameras in all DTC buses likely by May next year: Delhi govt to HC

New Delhi, Nov 13: The AAP government on Tuesday told the Delhi High Court that CCTV cameras are likely to be installed in all DTC buses in the national capital by May next year. The submission was made before a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao during the hearing of a PIL by a lawyer.

The petitioner has sought installation of CCTV cameras, and other safety and security features in all buses of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC). The court listed the matter for hearing in January after the advocate appearing for petitioner Manish Kumar opposed the Delhi government's submission and said earlier the DTC had claimed there were marshals present in some of its buses, but this was not correct.

The counsel sought time to file a response to the status report filed by the Delhi government, following which the court listed the matter for hearing in January. The Delhi government, represented by its additional standing counsel Gautam Narayan, told the bench that tenders have been floated for installation of CCTV cameras in all the buses and the work would be finalised soon.

Kumar had filed the petition after his laptop was stolen when he was travelling on a cluster bus. When he confronted the thieves, they tried to slash him by knives but he escaped unhurt. He had contended in his plea that no FIR was lodged in connection with the offence which occurred on September 20 last year and that police had referred him from one police station to another. However, later, the Delhi government had told the court that a zero FIR has been lodged.

It had also told the court that all buses to be procured by the DTC in the future would have CCTVs installed in them. Kumar has alleged in his plea that while the Delhi government was pushing people to opt for public transport, it was not doing anything to make the buses safer for passengers.

PTI