Cops say no to AAP govt's bigger ads on DTC buses

The Delhi State Transport Department and the traffic police failed to reach a consensus over the recent amendments in existing guidelines on display of advertisements on public service vehicles. As a result, the proposal has been kept in abeyance for a month.

The department has asked the traffic police to get a feedback on the number of accidents, if any, which were attributable to advertisements on public transport vehicles and submit it within a month so that a final decision can be taken.

Earlier, during a transport department meeting held last week, the Delhi traffic police had made objections to the amendments on existing guidelines for the display of advertisement on public service vehicles. They said the amendments to the guidelines would ensure that advertisements on public transport vehicles would distract motorists and lead to accidents.

"Such affixation of advertisements on the right side of any public service vehicle should not be allowed," Ajay Kashyap, Special Commissioner of Police, said.

The guidelines on the display of advertisements on public service vehicles was approved on May 19, 2014. Thereafter, the state transport department suggested amendments last year, but the traffic police had objected to it.

The amendments were suggested after the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) — through a letter to the Commissioner, Transport, on March 30, 2016 — sought directions on the display of advertisements on the right side of buses. The DTC requested that full body wrap on the buses, except for window glasses and rear window glass panel, on low floor buses, be allowed.

DTC also informed that an entire body wrap (bus) is a common feature in public transports all over the world. It also stated that all major state transport departments in India like BEST, UP Roadways, Haryana, and BMTC allow advertisement display on the right side of the buses as well.

...& ANALYSIS

• The delay in reaching a consensus has incurred revenue losses to the DTC. The corporation is losing Rs 3 crore every day and when they planned to generate revenue through advertisements, the police objected.
   
• DTC wants the matter to be sorted out soon so that they can make up for the losses. Against an approved capacity of 5,500 buses, they have merely 4,200 plying on the roads, out of which 800 standard-floor buses will be phased out.