Panel asks govt to investigate colour-blind DTC drivers

The Central Information Commission has directed the Delhi government to carry out an “urgent comprehensive” inquiry into the issue of colour blind DTC drivers declared fit to operate buses here.

The case relates to fitness certification given to the drivers while appointing them.The file produced before Information Commissioner M Sridhar Acharyulu by Delhi Transport Corporation revealed serious irregularities in declaration of bus drivers as fit by an eye centre.

“As many as 91 of the 99 candidates declared medically unfit by the DTC medical board were, subsequently, declared fit by the Guru Nanak Eye Centre. When an independent medical board was constituted by Health Department of GNCT Delhi, all the 91 candidates were found unfit again,” Acharyulu noted in his order.

‘Fix responsibility’

He said on September 11, 2013 Chairman-cum-Managing Director of DTC, Rajeev Verma, had written to Delhi Health Secretary SCL Das seeking intervention for fixing responsibility on the erring persons leading to appointment of unfit drivers in the Corporation.

Quoting from the letter, Acharyulu said CMD had mentioned that one of the drivers, who was declared medically fit by the Centre, had committed a major accident.

When the driver was subjected to medical examination, he was found to be unfit by the DTC medical board, thereby necessitating a relook into the medical examination of such drivers who were examined by the centre.

“The commission recommends Lt Governor of Delhi to take urgent notice of the matter because even after lapse of one year from the date of letter written by the CMD of DTC to Health Secretary, no further action was reported,” he said. 

“The commission recommends that an urgent comprehensive enquiry is essential to prevent unfit drivers using DTC vehicles on road. Necessary action against the personnel of DTC, Medical Boards and other personnel of medical boards found to be involved in this scam, may be taken,” he ordered.