The undue haste displayed by erstwhile Arvind Kejriwal Government in curbing the powers of Delhi Traffic Police (DTP) has resulted in further embarrassment to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The move has been opposed tooth and nail by Delhi
Police and the Transport Department as well. After the announcement by Kejriwal, Delhi Traffic Police has almost stopped issuing challans to autorickshaws drivers for violation of traffic rules in the city. Following this, Transport Department has mooted a proposal to this effect.
Top sources told The Pioneer that both Delhi Police and Transport Department have rejected outright the move and said that curbing the powers of Delhi Traffic Police will have bearing on the flow of traffic in Delhi. Delhi Police in its report contested the move by the then Kejriwal Government by saying that Delhi Police was vested with the powers to suspend the permit of vehicles such as buses and autorickshaws by an order of the Supreme Court in 1997.
Even the Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Anil Shukla has said that their contention was clarity from the Delhi Government in the light of the Supreme Court’s order on the issue related to 1997 order stating that enforcement was an effective instrument for maintaining traffic flow which vest with the traffic police and department. “This may be violation of the apex court order,” Shukla told The Pioneer.
The powers to suspend the permits were granted to Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs) and the Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs). The then Chief Minister could have very well passed an order to curb the powers of Delhi Traffic Police but that could have been the violation of the Supreme Court’s orders to Delhi Traffic Police to enforce discipline on the city roads for the smooth flow of the traffic.
“It was an impractical move as transport department didn’t have the manpower to check such violations. This will increase the hooliganism of autorickshaw drivers on Delhi roads who are seen every now and then violating traffic rules, refuse to go by meters and harassing women passengers. The move will ensure real aam aadmi being harassed by the autorickshaw drivers,” Delhi Traffic Police official has commented.
Officials in Transport Department are of the view that the move could once again inconvenienced commuters who often rely on the Traffic Police when autodrivers overcharge or refuse to go to certain locations. Officials say that there are only 30 teams of enforcement in transport department and that is not sufficient to handle 90,000 errant autorickshaws in the city. “If promulgated, autorickshaw drivers will not wear uniforms and badges that are meant for identification. This will give full freedom to the drivers to commit crimes and harass common man in civil dress and that will go un-noticed by cops,” said Transport Department officials.
It is noted that the transport department had delegated its powers to fine autodrivers to the Traffic Police following a Supreme Court order a few years ago. In fact, police have various helpline numbers for passengers to register complaints. In 2013, a total of 1.26 lakh challans were issued to autodrivers for various violations. It may be recalled that could have created anarchy on Delhi roads, Arvind Kejriwal in his 49-day rule, had promised the autorickshaw drivers in the city, party’s core votebank, to withdraw Delhi Police’s power to fine autorickshaw drivers, for refusing to ferry passengers and wear vardi.