9 DTC buses enter no-entry zone at ‘China cut’, fined & licences seized

NOIDA: As many as nine DTC buses were challaned and one seized for taking the ‘China cut’ at Sector 18, which has been closed to traffic since Wednesday.
The traffic police in Noida have planned diversions at the China cut to ease traffic near the Sector 18 market. But many of the drivers who were penalised on Friday said they were not aware of the new traffic plan.

The DTC drivers, too, could be seen telling the cops that they had entered the “no entry zone” for the first time. However, the licences of all the drivers were seized and senior officials of the Noida depot of the DTC were called to the spot.

The drivers said they had not seen any such a drive at the spot before and questioned why no overhead barrier had been placed to discourage buses from entering the road.

These buses were travelling towards Bhajanpura, Mayur Vihar Phase III, Noida depot and Sector 12/22 intersection, etc.

The traffic police, however, said the driver of one of the seized buses had taken a U-turn on the Sector 19/27 road deliberately to avoid the overhead barrier on the other carriageway of the road, installed in order to discourage buses from entering the busy Atta market.

SP (traffic) Anil Jha said the police would recommend for the suspension of driving licences of the violators for three months.

“All DTC buses have a GPS system installed in them. These drivers are used to entering no-entry zones here. If they are not working properly, at least the officials should check the positioning and routes of the buses. The DTC buses follow rules in Delhi but in Noida, they are used to flouting rules,” said a traffic police officer.