U-turn: Delhi CM Atishi wants L-G to draft policy to rehire bus marshals

New Delhi : In a U-turn, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Monday put the ball back in Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena’s court over formulation of a policy for long-term engagement of 10,000 Civil Defence Volunteers (CDVs) as bus marshals.

Intensifying the political tussle between the elected government and the Raj Niwas that reports to the Central government, CM Atishi urged the L-G to draft the policy which she claimed was beyond her domain.

She also urged Saxena to immediately reinstate 10,000 bus marshals on “as-is-where-is basis” so that women safety in buses is not compromised over the next four-five months that might be needed to draft a policy for their permanent engagement.

As chances of long-term engagement of bus marshals continue to diminish with each passing day of the AAP government’s tenure, the latest move by the AAP government appears an attempt to shield itself from any blame for delay over the matter in an election year.

CM Atishi’s decision to ask the L-G to draft the proposal comes within a week of an advice given by Raj Niwas to her on similar lines for directing officials to formulate a policy for long-term engagement of CDVs and bus marshals.

For now, the L-G is considering a proposal from the AAP government to engage the 10,000 out-of-job CDVs as green warriors for four months.

Pointing to rise in harassment of women in buses in the absence of bus marshals, CM Atishi said at a press conference that after a long discussion with officials she had come to the conclusion that the issue of re-engagement of bus marshals was related to service department and public order, both of which were reserved subjects that come under the domain of L-G Saxena.

“We have requested the L-G to formulate a policy on the matter so that bus marshals can be deployed in two shifts in public transport buses,” said CM Atishi at a joint press conference with Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj.

Reiterating the AAP government’s commitment to women’s safety, CM Atishi said travelling in public transport buses was a harrasing experience for women and to check this bus marshals were deployed in 2015 by then Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

“But, the BJP through its officials raised objections to the scheme. In April 2023, the salary of bus marshals was stopped and from October 2023 Civil Defence Volunteers working as bus marshals were removed,” she said.

For the past one year, bus marshals, supported by AAP ministers and leaders, were agitating on roads for re-engagement and finally the Central government had to bow before their demands, she said.

“As you know, the AAP government has decided to re-engage the CDVs for anti-pollution duties. But, the bigger question that needs to be addressed is that of women safety in public transport buses over the next four months,” she said.

Bhardwaj said the L-G and Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta of BJP were playing tricks and delaying the re-appointment of bus marshals.

“My request to the L-G is not to delay the matter and use his powers to immediately reinstate the bus marshals,” he said.