Free bus ride scheme for women begins in Delhi
New Delhi: The free of cost travel scheme for women in Delhi public buses began on Tuesday with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia saying it will ensure their safety and increase their role in the national capital's economy.
Women will be given pink tickets in Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses to avail the free-ride scheme, which started on Bhai Dhooj.
The Delhi government will reimburse transporters based on the number of pink tickets issued.
"Free-ride for women in Delhi buses has started from today. Congratulations Delhi! Apart from women safety, it will also increase the role of women in Delhi economy...," Sisodia said in a tweet in Hindi.
On Monday night, the government issued a notification implementing the free-ride scheme from Tuesday. The facility will also be available in Noida-NCR, airport and other special services operated by the DTC and cluster scheme operators.
During his Independence Day speech, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said free-ride for women in both DTC and cluster buses will start from October 29, which is 'Bhai Dooj'.
The Delhi cabinet had on August 29 given in-principle approval to the scheme of providing free bus rides to women, but put a rider on female employees of the city government that they have to give up their transport allowance to avail the facility.
Women employees of the Delhi government, local bodies and undertakings will not be entitled for transport allowance if they opt for free ride in DTC and cluster buses, according to the government.
Public buses in Delhi carry over 45 lakh passengers each day, according to latest official figures.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
