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PETITIONER: M C MEHTA

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: UNION OF INDIA & ORS.

DATE OF JUDGMENT:       01/12/1998

BENCH: CJI, B.N.  KIRPAL, V.N.KHARE.

ACT:

HEADNOTE:

JUDGMENT: O R D E R This writ petition was filed in 1985.  More  than  a decade has  gone  by.    Various  aspects for improvement of environment were highlighted in the petition  inluding  the one  relating to proper management and control of traffic in the  National  Capital  Region  and  the  National   Capital Territory of Delhi with a view to ensure adequate safeguards necessary for   public  safety.    Besides  this,  vehicular pollution was also highlighted and  the  need  for  remedial steps   convassed  to  take  care  of  the  chaotic  traffic conditions which have given rise to road accidents resulting in death and bodily injury to  the  citizens.    TO  control vehicular pollution and protect environment is primarily the function of the executive.  It is their obligstion to devise suitable   measures   and   provide   machinery   for  rigid enforcement of such measures as are necessary  to  curb  the menace of chaotic traffic conditions and vehicular pollution with a  view  to  ensure the welfare of general public.  The inaction on the part of  the  executive,  however,  impelled this  Court to issue certain directions from time to time in this writ petition, but precious little appears to have been done despite those  directions.    Before  we  consider  the questi  on of holding somebody responsi ble and accountable, we consider it appropriate to repeat some of the  directions which had been issued on November 20, 1997 and on subsequent dates and direct their strict compilance.  We direct:         "(a)   No   heavy   and  medium  transport         vehicles, and light goods  vehicles  being         four   wheelers   would  be  permitted  to         operate on the roads of the NCR  and  MCT,         Delhi,   unless   they   are  fitted  with         suitable speed control devices  to  ensure         that they do not exceed the speed limit of         40 KMPH.  This will not apply to transport         vehicles  operating on Inter-State permits         and national goods permits.  Such exempted         vehicles would, however,  be  confined  to         such  routes  and  such timings during day         and   night   as   the   police/transport,         authorities may publish.  It is made clear

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       that  no  vehicle  would  be  permitted on         roads  ’  other  than  the  aforementioned         exempted  roads  or during the times other         than  aforesaid  time  without   a   speed         control device,         (b) In our view the scheme of the         Act  necessarily implies an obligation to         use the vehicle in a manner which does not         imperil public  safety.    The   concernea         authorities should, therefore, ensure that         the  transport  vehicles are not permitted         to overtake any other four-wheel motorised         vehicle.         (c) They will  also  ensure  that         wherever   it   exists,   buses  shall  be         confined to the bus lane  and  equally  no         other  motorised  vehicle  is permitted to         enter upon the bus lane.   We  direct  the         Municipal Corporation of Delhi, NDMC, PWD,         Delhi Government and DDA, Union Government         and the  Delhi Cantt.  Board to take steps         to ensure that bus  lanes  are  segregated         and  roads  markings  are  provided on all         such roads  as  may  be  directed  by  the         police and transport authorities.         (d)  They  will ensure that buses         halt only at bus stops designated for  the         purpose and  within  the  marked area.  In         this connection also Municipal Corporation         of Delhi’, NDMC,  PWD,  Delhi  Government,         DDA  and  union  of India and Delhi Cantt.         Board  would  take  all  steps   to   have         appropriate    bus    stops   constructed,         appropriate  markings  made  and  ’busboys         built  at  such places as may be indicated         by transport/police authorities.         (e)  Every  holder  of  a  permit         issued  by  any  of  the  road   transport         authorities in the NCR and NCT, Delhi will         within  ten days from today, file with its         RTA a list of drivers who are  engaged  by         him together with suitable photographs and         other   particulars   to   establish   the         identity of such persons.   Every  vehicle         shall  carry  a suitable photograph of the         authorised driver, duly certified  by  the         RTA.  Any vehicle being driven by a person         other  than the authorised driver shall be         treated as being used in contravention  of         the  permit  and  the  conseouences  would         accordingly follow.         (f)  No bus belonging to or hired         by an  educational  institution  shall  be         driven by a driver who has         -less  than  five years of         experience of driving a heavy vehicles;         -been  challaned more than         twice for a minor traffic offence;         -been  charged   for   any         offence  relating  to  rash  and negligent         driving.         All such drivers would be dressed         in a distinctive  uniform,  and  all  such         buses shall carry a sutable inscription to         indicate  that  they are in the duty of an

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       educational institution. We  direct the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), New  Delhi  Municipal  Corporation  (NDMC),   Public   Works Department  (PWD),  Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and the Delhi Government to take all necessary  steps  to  ensure  that  (i)  bus  lanes  are segregated  and road markings are provided on all such roads as are identified by the police and the transport authority. This exercise shall be done by  the  concerned  within  four weeks from  today:   and (ii) take steps to have appropriate bus stops constructed, aporopriate markings painted and  bus bays  bu-ilt  at  such  places  as  may  be indicated by the transport/police authorities.  This exercise shall  commence within  two  weeks  from  the  date  of  this  order  and be completed within six weeks thereafter. Learned Solicitor General shall file a Status report detailing the action taken with regard to various directions Issued by this Court on 20th November, 1997:  16th December, 1997; 28th  July,  1998 and subsequently.  The needful shall be done on the affidavit of  a  resoonsible  officer  within eight weeks. We  also direct that the Union of India shall ensure that the directions given by this Court  on  20th  November, 1997:   16th  December 1997 and 28th July, 1998 are suitably publicised in the print as well as in the  electronic  media so  that everybody is made aware of the directions contained in our various orders.  Publicity on  the  electronic  media should  be,  to  begin with, carried on every alternate day, for at least six weeks. We wish to emphasise that the directions  issued  by this  Court  from  time  to  time,  which are in the general public interest, are required to be complied with and it  is the  obligation of the State to ensure that those directions are complied with.  We are considering  the  appointment  of Court Officers with a view to see that the directions issued by  us  are  complied  with  and  in  the  event  the  Delhi Administration  has  any  suggestion  to  make   about   the aopointment  of  any  such  Court  Officer, they shall be at liberty to file a list  of  such  persons  in  the  Registry within four weeks. We  further  direct  that  the  orders  made  by  us containing  various   directions   relating   to   vehicular pollution and traffic conditions shall be carried out by all concerned notwithstanding any other order or direction given by  any  authority, court or tribunal and that no authority, court or tribunal shall interfere with  the  functioning  of the  Police  or  the  Transport  Department  insofar  as the implementation and execution of  the  directions  issued  by this Court, from time to time, are concerned.