DTC faults Ashok Leyland buses

An alarmed Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has told Delhi high court that almost the entire fleet of Ashok Leyland buses needs to undergo fresh checks since over 100 of them have failed a crucial fire safety test.

Filing an affidavit in this regard before the high court, the DTC through its counsel Sumeet Pushkarna has now sought the court's nod to perform checks on 1093 Ashok Leyland buses that were slated to join the DTC's low-floor fleet of public transport in the capital. A division bench headed by Justice A K Sikri has sought a response on the issue from the state government and the private manufacturer by April 21.

The affidavit tells HC a "faulty wiring" lies at the core of the failure of the buses in fire safety checks and justifies withholding payment of balance amount to the manufacturers on this ground. Saying that public safety is of paramount concern, the DTC conveyed its apprehensions about the new Ashok Leyland fleet after it came to know 116 buses had failed the test. "Public safety and proper use of public revenue is more important. Considering the complexity of the matter, criminal investigation and public revenue the payments have been kept on hold," the affidavit concludes, urging HC to intervene in the matter.

Just before the Commonwealth Games last year, the issue of safety of Ashok Leyland buses had come to the fore in the backdrop of DTC's plan to induct more than 1000 such buses to make up for phasing out of Blueline buses. Things worsened with the CBI swooping down on Leyland officials accused of bribing experts of Central Institute of Road Transport.

CBI slapped the accused with charges of cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy, alleging some of the experts were bribed in order to get a green signal on the worthiness of material used in the buses. In its FIR the CBI named three experts from CIRT and two Leyland officials who allegedly connived to hide the fact that some of the samples had failed fire safety tests.

Adds Harish V Nair, Hindustan Times:

Safety concerns were first raised by senior lawyer Kailash Vasdev who was assisting the court in Blueline phase-out matter as amicus curiae. This was when DTC was set to procure 1,300 Ashok Leyland buses before the CWG.

Pointing out that the CBI was investigating the role of three technical experts from CIRT and two Leyland officials, it was contended that samples of the plywood had failed the fire safety tests and were found to be highly inflammable.


The affidavit filed in court by DTC counsel Sumeet Pushkarna said: "Considering the complexity of the matter involving contractual obligations, criminal investigation and public safety and public revenue, payment have been kept on hold. Public safety and proper use of public revenue is more important."

Leyland told the court it was using the highest quality of material and assured that it itself will take corrective steps in the 116 buses which failed the fire test. A bench headed by justice AK Sikri directed all parties to sit together, discuss the issue and come back to court. The bench said it will give directions on safety aspect on April 21, the next date of hearing.

Courtesy: Times of India
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Low-floor-buses-need-recheck-DTC-to-HC/articleshow/7964644.cms
Courtesy: http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/684525.aspx