CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Friday ordered notice to the TN government to respond to a public interest litigation (PIL) that alleges the tender issued for purchasing buses for the State-run transport corporations does not comply with the applicable standards of accessibility to disabled persons.
The first bench of Acting Chief Justice T Raja and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy ordered the State government to respond to the petition in two weeks on the tenders issued for purchasing 1,771 buses.
The PIL was filed by co-founder of Banyan, an NGO, Vaishnavi Jayakumar. She said the State government issued tenders for purchasing 1,771 fully-built non-AC diesel buses, including 1,107 Type I buses with a floor height of 900mm.
The law permits procurement of low floor buses with 400 mm floor height or with a maximum height of 650 mm with ramps/kneeling system/lift for entry, she said, alleging the tender is in violation of Acts and court orders relating to the rights of the PwD.
The ‘vicious cycle’ of continued disregard for the law has been going on since 1995, with the State repeatedly procuring buses that are inaccessible to disabled persons, she said. The petitioner prayed for quashing the tender notification for the procurement of 1107 Type I buses with a floor height of 900 mm.