Cops continue to travel for free in DTC buses

As no one wants to mess with them, say DTC officials

While the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) wants all the police personnel to pay passenger fare alike any other bus commuter, one common question doing the rounds in the corporation is who would bell the cat?

The DTC management had issued a circular asking the officials concerned to charge passenger fare from all police personnel, whether in uniform or otherwise. However, the DTC officials on condition of anonymity say policemen continue to travel free and nobody has been fined for travelling without ticket since the circular was issued.

The common perception in the corporation is: it is difficult to implement the order despite the decision being taken after consultations with the top notch of Delhi Police.

“It would be the duty of the conductor to ensure that all police personnel buy tickets, but the problem is who would bell the cat? Nobody wants to mess with policemen. On December 31, a policeman in East Delhi literally fought with a bus conductor when he pressed him to buy a ticket,” a DTC official said requesting anonymity.

The DTC official added even the conductors are helpless as they can't complain about an errant policeman, unlike in cases of a commoner who could be handed over to police who refuses to follow the rules.

The DTC officials also allege police personnel get vindictive and start targeting DTC buses on frivolous grounds.

“When the issue was under discussion between the two departments, the Delhi police had contended the claim of DTC that several policemen travel free and asked for a record of the same. The conductors were then asked just to record the names and designation of the policemen travelling on the bus. All hell broke loose after that. Within two-three days, the number of challans against DTC buses shot up,” a senior DTC official said.

However, Delhi traffic police officials refute any such action by the department. A senior traffic police official said challans are issued against any DTC bus when rules are violated, and it does not depend on the decision of the corporations regarding passenger fares.