BRT serves purpose as buses run faster on corridor, govt tells HC

The Delhi government on Monday opposed the Central Road Research Institute's (CRRI) report on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor between Moolchand and Ambedkar Nagar, saying it went against the rights of the people.

The government submitted before the Delhi High Court bench of Acting Chief Justice A K Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw that it could not be assumed that the time of people in cars was more precious than that of bus passengers. Further, it said, the CRRI report seemed to trash the corridor for the very reason it was established — to allow buses to travel faster.

The government sought a direction from the High Court not to allow any other vehicles on the bus lane of the BRT corridor.

"According to the statistics quoted by CRRI, the prime objective of establishing the BRT stands fully vindicated. As the very term BRT implies, the prime objective is Bus Rapid Transit. If the objective was that buses should travel faster, it has been achieved," the government report to the High Court said.

It said people's rights must be considered paramount over that of vehicles. "Under no circumstances it can be assumed that time of car passengers is superior to time of the bus passengers. If the concept of equality has to have meaning with regard to the value of time, it has to be deemed to be equal for all citizens," the report stated.

The court will hear the final argument on the matter on August 13, after which it will decide the fate of the BRT corridor.

On the High Court's order, CRRI earlier conducted a trial run and prepared a report based on the existing traffic volume. The report said traffic moved up to 68 per cent faster without the BRT during a trial run, supporting the belief that allowing other vehicles to ply on the lane earmarked for buses was better for overall traffic movement.

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