No proposal to add new buses to DTC fleet: Delhi govt

In a written reply to a question by Opposition leader Vijender Gupta during the Winter Session of Delhi Assembly, Transport Minister Satyendar Jain said the government has, however, made a plan to run new buses (orange) under the Cluster Scheme in which private players provide buses to DIMTS.

Presently, there is a demand of over 11,000 buses in Delhi and as per plan, DTC and DIMTS have to run 5,500 buses each in the national capital.

DTC currently runs 4,009 buses in the city while Delhi Integrated Multi-Model Transit System (DIMTS) has around 1,500.

“In last two years, no new bus has been added to the fleet of Delhi Transport Corporation,” Jain said.

Asked if the government has plan to buy new buses in the near future, the Transport Minister said, “There is no proposal to buy buses. But under the Cluster Scheme, plan is being made to run new buses.”

On several occasions, the government has said it has planned augmenting public transport in the national capital.

The city administration may also introduce the third round of odd-even scheme as per graded response notified by the Centre to deal with air pollution.

Under Cluster Scheme, concessionaires provide buses to DIMTS which operates them and they are paid as per kilometres.

Also, the government has decided to redesign 1,397 old bus queue shelters in the capital.

“Existing bus queue shelters are so expensive due to which contractors were incurring a heavy loss. Existing bus shelters are set up at a cost of Rs 15 lakh each.

“We are making a plan to bring down the cost of bus queue shelters. From Wazirpur depot to Dhaula Kuan, all bus queue shelters will be resigned,” Jain told the House.