The AAP government has been claiming that it cannot buy buses as the DDA was not providing enough land for depots
The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on Monday handed over 12 acres of land in Rohini to the AAP government for the construction of bus depots, bringing an end to the ongoing controversy between Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot.
"Happy that DDA is handing over possession of 12 acres of land in Rohini today, 20.11.17 at 11 am. Hope DDA will hand over more land parcels immediately so that govt can get more buses and augment public transport (sic)," Gahlot tweeted earlier in the day.
However, Gahlot sought more land, saying it would lead to procurement of more of these vehicles. There are around 5,567 buses, including those of the DTC, against the required 11,000, which is mandated by the Delhi High Court.
The AAP government has been claiming that it cannot buy buses as the DDA was not providing enough land for depots. The minister said he hoped that the land-owning agency would give more land immediately so that it was able to procure more buses and augment public transport in the Capital.
"Twelve acres of land was today handed over to the transport department of the Delhi government," a DDA official said.
During the announcement of the odd-even scheme to tackle the rising air pollution in the city, the Kejriwal-led government faced criticism from the Opposition that alleged that the AAP dispensation had not been able to add a single bus to the DTC fleet after it came to power.
However, the government could not roll out the road rationing scheme (November 13 to 17) as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) did not give exemption to women drivers and bikes.
Last week, the transport minister had written to the L-G seeking that he direct the DDA to allot 135 acres of land to the government to complete its bus fleet. He had also claimed that the government had made payment of around Rs 90.5 crore, but the possession of land had not been given so far.
Gahlot had earlier said that the Delhi government has sufficient depot land for parking of additional 2,000 buses and the government had already taken a decision for procurement of 2,000 standard floor buses.
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Delhi Transport Min Kailash Gahlot had earlier said that the Delhi govt has sufficient land for parking 2,000 more buses and that they had already decided to procure 2,000 standard floor buses.
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