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PETITIONER: M.C.MEHTA ETC.

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: UNION OF INDIA & ORS.

DATE OF JUDGMENT:       16/12/1997

BENCH: B.N. KIRPAL, V.N. KHARE

ACT:

HEADNOTE:

JUDGMENT:                THE 16TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 1997 Present:                  Hon’ble the Chief Justice                  Hon’ble Mr. Justice B.N. Kirpal                  Hon’ble Mr. Justice V.N.Khare Ashok Desai,  Attorney  General,  M.S.Usgeonkar,  Additional Solicitor General,  Hrish N.Salve,  Sr.Adv.,  Mukul  Mudgal, Ms.Indra Sawhney, Deepak Dewan, A.K.Sharma, S.Wasim A.Qadri, A.D.N.Rao, Ms.  Niranjana  Singh,  (P.Parmeswarn)  Adv.  for (MOEF),   Dutta, Hardeep  Singh Anand,  Shri Narain, Ssndeep Narain,  (M.C.Mehta)   (NP)   In-person,   Ms.Seema   Midha, S.N.Sikka, D.S.Mehra,  (Ms.Anil Katiyar)  Adv. for  (Min, of Petroleum),  D.K.Garg,   Sanjeev   Pabby.,   R.K.Maheshwari, Ms.Manju  Bharti,   R.K.Kapoor,   P.Verma,   S.K.Srivastava, B.R.Kapur, Anis  Ahmed Khan,  Vijay Panjwani, (R.Sasiprabhu, Anees Ahmed,  Aditi Singh)  Advs. for (GAIL), Pradeep Misra. Ms.Niti Dikshit,  Sanjay  parikh,  Kailash  Vasdev,  Mahabir Singh,  Ms.   Sushma  Suri,  C.V.Subba  Rao,  Ashok  Mathur, D.M.Nargolkar, Saharya,  Ejaz Maqbool, R.P.Gupta, K.K.Gupta, L.K.Pandey, Upadhyay,  S.R. Setia,  Satish Aggarwal.  Ranjit Kumar, Advs. with them for the appearing parties.                          O R D E R      The following order of the Court was delivered: (with W.P.(C) No.9300/02. W.P.(C) No. 939/96 and W.P.(C) No. 95/97/      After hearing the learned amicus curiae, the Additional Solicitor General and the counsel representing certain other interests,  we   issue  the  following  further  directions, namely.      (1) The  figures in  relation to issuance of commercial licences show  that  there  is  need  to  verify  commercial licences. Which  were issued  during the period 1993-95. We. therefore, direct that all commercial licences issued during the  period   1993-95  be   re-verified  by   the  Transport Department to  weed out  all such  licences which  have been issued without following the Rules.      (2) We are informed that a test has now been prescribed for  issuance  of  new  licence.  We  direct  the  Transport Department to    prescribe  a  suitable  refresher  training course as  a condition  for the  renewal of  any licence  to

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drive a heavy vehicle.      (3) The  grantees of  a permit  cannot (without express prior  permission).   Under  the  provisions  of  the  Motor Vehicles Act  either transfer  his permit  or to  allow some other person  to operate  a vehicle on this permit. Any such use of permits which really constitutes a trading in permits is a  patent violation  of the  Motor Vehicles  Act and  the Rules and  would render  the permit  liable to cancellation, apart  from   other  legal   consequences.  We   direct  the authorities not  to renew  any permit  which has  been or is being used  by any  person other  than the original grantee, without the express prior permission of the grantee.      (4) We  direct the  Civic Authorities to take necessary steps to  remove immediately  all encroachments-temporary or permanent -  on roads  and payments. Which affect the smooth flow of  traffic or  obstruct the  way of  pedestrians. Stay cattle and  other similar obstructions would also have to be similarly dealt with.      (5) The  need for  safety of school children travelling in buses  requires that such buses be fitted with doors that can be  shut. We.  therefore, direct  that on  or after 31st January, 1998.  no bus  shall  be  used  by  an  educational institution unless  it is  fitted with  doors which  can  be closed. No  educational institutions  shall, after  the said date, use a bus if it has an open door.      (6) Similarly,  it is  essential that, in addition to a driver, there  is another  qualified person  in the  bus can attend to the children travelling in the bus. Rule 17 of the Motor Vehicles Rules. 1993 stipulates qualifications. duties and functions or a Conductor. It would be in the interest of safety to  require the  presence of a qualified conductor on board every  bus  that  is  being  used  by  an  educational institution. we  are told that at present there is a paucity of trained  conductors. We,  therefore, direct  that  on  or after 30th  April, 1998. no bus used by or in the service of an educational  institution shall  be permitted  to  operate without  a  operate  without  a  qualified  conductor  being present at all times. a      (7)  We  are  also  informed  that  some  schools  have Voluntarily  requested   the  parents   of  their  wards  to accompany buses  so as  to ensure  that  the  drivers  drive safely and  the  lives  of  the  children  are  not  out  in jeopardy. we  commend this  action, and direct the education Department to  ask  all  schools  including  Government  and Municipal schools  to evolve a similar arrangement as far as possible, so as to ensure that in each bus there is at least one parent  present who would be able to oversee the conduct of the  driver. This  step would  do a  long way in ensuring that the  directions given  as well as other safety measures given as  well  as  other  safety  measures  prescribed  are complied with  in letter  and spirit  and  that  the  driver drives carefully.      (8) One  of the problems, which was been brought to our notice, is the overgrowing of buses. After hearing the views of the  Transport Department  as well  as the  Delhi  Police (Traffic Wing),  we feel  it appropriate  to direct, that no bus belongings  to of in use of any educational institution, shall seat  children in  excess of  1.5 times its registered seating  capacity.   Similarly,  other   modes   of   public transport, such  as TSRs,  taxis and other vehicles used for transporting the  students  of  an  educational  institution should not  be permitted  to carry  children more  than  1.5 times they registered seating capacity.      (9) One  of the  major  pollutants  identified  in  the various affidavits  as well  asa in the latest Status Report

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filed by  the Government,  is the  TSR (two  seater rickshaw using a  two stroke  engine). We  are further  informed that although the  existing figures of registered TSRs as per the records, is  approximately 83,000:  the actual number in use is far  lesser since  some of  these permits  have bot  been cancelled although the vehicles have been scrapped. It would be in  the interest of the environment. to freeze the number of TSRs  for the  present at  the level  at which  they  are actually in use in the city. We. therefore direct that there would be  no grant  of fresh  permits in respect of the TSR. save and except by way of replacement of an existing working TSR  with a new one.      (10)  We   direct  the  police  Commissioner  to  frame appropriate     guidelines  for   regulating  processions  - religious. Political  or otherwise  - which tend to obstruct the  flow   of  traffic.   These  guidelines  should  be  in conformity with the rights of the users of the roads and the exercise of  fundamental freedom of other citizens indicated by this  Court in  this judgment in Communist Party of India ((M) vs. Bharat Kumar and Others. JT 1997 (9) SC 101.      (11) The  Union of India is directed to file within two weeks the  Action Plan for appointment of private persons to enforce traffic  safety laws  and confer  upon  such  people suitable powers under the Cr.P.C. as well as under the Motor Vehicles Act.  The  Union  of  India  would  also  file  its response to  the repeated  suggestion made  by  the  Traffic Police as  well as  the Transport  Department for augmenting the uniformed force in the city.      (12) There  are certain modifications called for in our earlier order  dated 20th November, 1997, which we direct as hereunder:      (1) In para A(a), add the following :      "Requirement for  installation   of      speed control  devices  would  also      not apply  to vehicles operating on      All India Tourist Permits issued by      the Transport  Department.  NCT  of      Delhi".      (ii) In para A(f). the sentence commencing "no bus" and ending   with    "educational   institution"   shall   stand substituted with the following "      "No bus belonging to or hired by an      educational  institution  shall  be      driven  by   a  driver  who  has  -      (a)   Less than  fives  years    of      experience   of    driving    heavy      vehicles;      (b) been  challaned more than twice      in a year in respect of offences of      Jumping  red  fights.  Improper  or      obstructive parking  violating  the      stop  line.   violating  the   rule      requiring driving  within  the  bus      lane.  Violating   restricting  the      overtaking.  allowing  unauthorised      person to drive;      (c)  been   challaned/charged  even      once  for   the  offence   of  over      speeding,   drunken   driving   and      driving  dangerously   or  for  the      offences under Sections 279,337,338      and 304-A of the Indian Penal Code.      All such  drivers would  be dressed      in a  distinctive uniform  and  all      such buses  shall carry  a suitable

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    inscription to  indicate that  they      are in  the duty  of an educational      institution".      (iii) In  para A(c).  after the  word "buses"  add  the      words "heavy goods vehicles, medium goods vehicles, and      A-wheel  light   goods  vehicles   plying  during   the      permitted hours.      (iv) In para A(h). and the following :      "Needless  to   add,  this   is  in      addition  to  the  statutory  power      conferred under  Section 115 of the      Motor Vehicles  Act under which the      authorities   can   prohibited   or      restrict any  class  of  vehicle(s)      from being  used,  inter  alia  any      particular  route   or  during  any      period of time.      (14) The  Transport as  well as  the Police Departments are directed  to ensure  that the contents of this order are duly publicised  so that  the people  using roads  are  made aware of  the restrictions  imposed. They  should also  give publicity to  the basic  rules  relating  to  safe  driving, particularly those  relating to  user of bus lanes, changing of lane,  overtaking and  right of  way on  round about.  We direct the  Union of  India to  make available the necessary facilities in  this regard,  particularly in relation to the electronic media.