Traffic chaos as protesting cabbies block major roads
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, May 2
Heavy traffic jams were reported in the national Capital today as hundreds of taxi drivers blocked the National Highway 8 and Ring Road. The drivers were protesting against the action by enforcement agencies after the Supreme Court's ban on diesel taxis in the city.
A group of protesters blocked both carriageways near the Rajokri toll booth on National Highway 8, which led to a long traffic jam of more than a kilometre in the area early this morning, the Delhi Traffic Police said.
The congestion affected thousands of office-goers who travel between Delhi and Gurgaon, linked by NH-8. The traffic helpline was bombarded with calls from distressed commuters, officials said.
Then at about 11.30 am, the protesters blocked both carriageways on Ring Road at Maharani Bagh, close to Ashram Chowk. Traffic jams were reported at Dhaula Kuan, Kapashera and Mehrauli and they continued for hours.
This directly hit traffic in areas which include Sarai Kale Khan, Ashram, near PGDAV College in Nehru Nagar, Lajpat Nagar and Moolchand stretching up to AIIMS.
People took other routes and several stretches like Lala Lajpat Rai Marg, Defence Colony and Mathura Road were blocked within an hour, officials said.
The protesters included the diesel cab drivers with All India Tourist Permits (AITP), who are exempted from the ban if they operate outside NCR.
On Sunday, more than hundred diesel-run cabs, including many with AITP, were impounded after they were found plying within the city limits. The drivers alleged harassment by the enforcement agencies.
"We will continue our protest until the authorities forbid police and transport department officials from penalising us as we have an All India Permit which is exempted from the ban. We are only asking for exemption which we have already been given," said Sanjay Samrat, president of Delhi Taxi Tourist Transporters Association.
After extending the deadline twice, the Supreme Court on Saturday refused to give more time to cab operators to convert their vehicles to CNG and placed a ban on diesel cabs in the city from May 1.
Drivers booked
Delhi Police booked more than hundred taxi drivers for plying their vehicles in the city.
"More than 100 drivers were booked till 7 pm today and challans were issued to them. Vehicles were impounded in a few cases," said a senior police officer.
The drivers were booked under Section 66 of the Motor Vehicles Act. Cases in which the vehicles had AITP, police officials spoke to the passengers enquiring about their boarding and de-boarding points, the officer said.
