New Delhi: Citing safety reasons, the Delhi traffic police — who had put a spanner in the state carrier DTC’s plans to earn extra revenue through whole body wrap advertisements on its low floor buses as it may lead to accidents — has been asked by the State Transport Authority (STA) to provide detailed reports of accidents to justify their objection.
The issue was discussed in a meeting in May and the traffic police has been given a month’s time to substantiate their objection backed by data and statistics. Till that time, the approved proposal will be kept in abeyance.
A senior Delhi traffic police (DTP) officer admitted its objection to the proposal although there are no instances that could be cited in favour of opposition to displays on right side of buses.
“There are no instances that we can site but even internationally, objections have been raised on this kind of advertising. Many experts have called it a “security risk” for motorists,” the officer said. Notably, the ‘guideline on display of advertisement on public service vehicles, 2014,’ allowed displays only on the left and rear sides of buses.
The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) board meeting in November 2015 had directed the commissioner (Transport) to examine the issue of whole body wrap advertisements, including right side of low floor buses, to fetch “good revenue.” DTC cited various examples of state transport undertakings like BEST in Mumbai, UP, Haryana, and Himachal Roadways, besides Metro feeder buses and HoHo buses of Delhi Tourism, where displays on right side of the vehicles is allowed.
Considering DTC’s request, STA amended the advertisement guidelines in May 2016, permitting display of advertisements on right side of buses.
In October 2016, however, the special commissioner of Delhi police (Traffic), who is also a member of the STA Board, registered his objection that display of advertisements on right side of the public vehicles will be “a source of distraction” for motorists, which may lead to road accidents.
