Use of BRTS lane by pvt vehicles irks bus drivers

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 28

The plying of private vehicles on the dedicated lane for metro buses is troubling drivers in maintaining the frequency of services on different routes. The drivers complain that private vehicles like cars and two-wheelers often enter the BRTS lane.

Apart from the metro buses, the use of dedicated lane is allowed to ambulances and police vehicles during emergencies. However, a large number of private vehicles too drive on the lane.

“It sometimes happens that two-wheelers enter the corridor abruptly from nowhere. In such cases, bus drivers have to apply the brakes to save buses from ramming the scooter. If an accident occurs, bus drivers are always held responsible but residents do not stop using the corridor,” said a driver.

At stretches where corridors are narrow as on the Mall Road, where even a two-wheeler cannot pass the bus, drivers face more trouble. The drivers complained that even at traffic signals, private vehicles mostly block their way. “Bus drivers are penalised if they run late on their routes, but traffic police often fail to check violators,” said another driver.