In a significant development, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government gave its in-principle nod to a proposal for procurement of 1,000 CNG-run standard floor buses for the cluster scheme, subject to approval by the court. The decision was taken in a meeting of the Delhi Cabinet chaired by the Chief Minister Kejriwal.
The proposal was deferred by the Cabinet earlier this week in view of court cases pertaining to procurement of buses by the Government. These buses under the cluster scheme operated by Delhi Integrated Multi Modal System (DIMTS) were procured seven years ago in 2011.
Deputy Chief Minister Mansih Sisodia said, “This is a very important decision which is in principle subject to the court’s approval. We hope the court will give a go ahead to it as there is scarcity of buses in Delhi,”
The expenditure cost to procure these 1,000 buses is Rs 276 crore, the new buses will be equipped with three Internet Protocol (IP ) cameras, panic buttons and anti-skid features. cameras, panic buttons, in-built GPS and anti-skid features.
This may be noted that preparation for purchasing 1,000 new buses for Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) was also underway. The buses were last purchased for the DTC about 10 years ago in 2008.
The Transport Department also came up with eight depots that would be used to park the new cluster buses.
Importantly, under this scheme, Delhi Government had to bear the viability gap to meet the deficit between the actual payment to be made to the concessionaire and revenue (fare collection).
Currently, the monthly deficit in operation of cluster buses is about Rs 1.92 lakh per bus, said a Government official.
Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said Delhi required 11,000 buses, 5,500 buses each for the DTC and cluster scheme. Currently, the DTC runs 3,781 buses whereas 1,648 buses are run under the cluster scheme.
After procurement of 2,000 new buses, the Government would like to add 3,000 more to raise the number to 11,000, Gahlot said.
New depots, besides eight for cluster buses, were being constructed in East Vinod Nagar, Rohini, Mundera Kalan, Burari, Bawana, Ghumman Hera for parking more buses, he said.
The Delhi High Court was hearing a PIl concerning procurement of 1,000 standard floor buses for the DTC, by the Delhi Government.
The Government and DTC had assured the high court that no contract for standard floor buses would be awarded till May 23, in the backdrop of objections that they were not disabled-friendly.
The assurance was given as the court appeared inclined to stay the entire tender floated on March 15 for procurement of 1,000 buses.
The eight depots constructed in the past three years are in Kharkhari Nahar, Revela Kanpur, Bawana Sector-1, Dichaon Kalan-II, Dwarka Sector-22 and three depots in Rani Khera.