Licence to drive

New Delhi, March 26: A bus driver in Delhi must now be a higher secondary graduate and wear a badge carrying his name.

Delhi High Court today suo motu raised the educational qualification for drivers of public transport vehicles, who earlier had to be Class X graduates, to curb traffic violations in the capital where some 2,000 die in street accidents every year.

The judgment paves the way for high courts ordering similar measures in other cities, either suo motu or in response to public interest litigations.

On Calcutta’s chaotic roads, for instance, reckless bus drivers continue to kill and maim hundreds.

Bengal, however, has no education bar for its bus or auto drivers.

The court also hiked six-fold the fine on bus or auto drivers found smoking while driving. They will now pay Rs 600 instead of Rs 100.

Bus drivers continue to smoke at the wheel in the country even though they are banned from doing so on two counts.

One, Section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act prohibits the practice (so does the West Bengal Motor Vehicle Rule, 1989, separately). Two, smoking is banned in public places, and these include buses and autos.

Traffic police, who seemed to have no idea that such a ban already exists, initially described the court order as “a new ban”.

The court raised the fines for several other traffic violations — by private or public vehicles — adding that bus drivers must now shell out the sum from their own pockets. Till now, the Delhi Transport Corporation paid up for its drivers.

The fine for talking on mobile phones while driving has been hiked from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 and that for violating speed limits — as also for unauthorised parking — from Rs 400 to Rs 900.

The fine for a positive breath analyser test (drunken driving) is up from Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500. Driving without a seat belt, riding a two-wheeler without a helmet, or skipping a traffic signal will cost one Rs 600 instead of Rs 100.

“The value of money has fallen rapidly and the fine for the violation of traffic rules is a fine which no offender would mind paying,” the court said.

The initiative taken by the court, which asked the government to form a committee that will make sure the measures are carried out, may improve matters, joint commissioner of police (traffic) Qamar Ahmed hoped.

“The ban on smoking in particular will really help. People smoking or using cellphones end up driving with one hand, increasing their chances of accidents.”

Ahmed said that with a growing number of vehicles now using compressed natural gas, smoking while driving increases safety hazards.

The court laid down uniform speed limits across the city: 50 kmph on two-lane roads and 60 kmph on three or four-lane roads. The existing speed limits on expressways and highways will continue.

On the ban on tinted windscreens and window glasses, the court said: “Only people facing a threat perception will be allowed to continue having tinted screens.”