April 11, 2002	Thursday	Muharram 27, 1423

NEW DELHI, April 10: Scores of diesel-run buses, banned from New Delhi roads, paid a collective penalty on Wednesday for operating illegally and offered to resume services in the transport crisis-hit Indian capital of 14 million, officials said.

“Owners of as many as 882 diesel-run buses paid their fines at the rate of 500 rupees (10 dollars) per day levied by the Supreme Court and will operate their vehicles from Thursday,” New Delhi Transport Minister Ajay Maken said.

He said the promised reinforcement was in addition to 400 such bus operators who had deposited their individual fines on Tuesday.

The apex court on Friday banned the capital’s 6,000 plus diesel buses in line with its campaign to reduce New Delhi’s pollution and warned that the daily fine will be doubled within 30 days.

The Supreme Court allowed only environment-friendly buses running on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to operate in New Delhi. The step resulted in a huge traffic chaos as the gas-operated public vehicles were unable to cope with the sheer number of commuters.

More th Delhi’s 4.5 million commuters are dependent on cheap public transport such as city buses.

Local schools, which were closed this week due to the unprecedented crisis, reopened on Wednesday, adding to the headache of the city administration.

“It seems we would have to wait until April 15 when parliament reopens and devise a way to ease the chaos that is reigning in our capital city,” a transport department spokesman said.

Idle bus operators on Wednesday clogged the headquarters of BJP party and said they would also stage protests.—AFP