Security cover at farmers' protest sites likely to be affected with DTC buses withdrawal

All the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses on special hire have been decided to be withdrawn with immediate effect. Over 10 per cent of the buses are on special hire for the deployment of police and paramilitary personnel at protest sites.

New Delhi: The security cover near the farmers' protest locations might be affected as the Delhi government has decided to withdraw DTC buses on special hire to various departments.

The low-floor DTC buses are extensively used for movement of police and paramilitary personnel for deployment in various parts of the city. The departments concerned have been asked to relieve the buses, officials said.

"All the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses on special hire have been decided to be withdrawn with immediate effect. It has also been decided by the authorities that approval of the government will be required now before requisition of buses under special hire," a government official said.

Currently, there are over 3,700 DTC buses, out of which nearly 10 per cent are under special hire, the officials said. The development has come amid massive deployment of police and paramilitary personnel on borders of the city where farmers are sitting in protest for over two months against the Centre's farm laws.

Some DTC buses that were used by police and security personnel to block the roads during tractor rally by protesting farmers on January 26, were vandalised by a section of protesters who had entered the city.

PTI