In a bid to rationalise DTC bus routes, the Delhi Government is planning to introduce “trunk and feeder” system under which low-floor buses, which are large in size, will run on longer routes while smaller buses will ferry passengers from nearby point on trunk routes to their destinations. Delhi Transport Minister Satyendar Jain said that trials on the first such trunk route have been started and if it is successful, the plan will be implemented on a larger scale.
“We feel that in a city like Delhi, there should be trunk and feeder system. On longer routes, there should be trunk service and there should be smaller buses to feed that trunk service,” Jain said.
If this plan is successful, the DTC will induct smaller-sized buses (12-seater, 22-seater etc) to its fleet of low-floor and semi-low-floor buses which are large in size.
There are several routes where, except for morning and evening rush hours, DTC's low-floor buses ferry fewer number of passengers, causing loss of revenue to the Government.
“The minimum running cost is Rs 32 per km while on some routes we cannot earn even Rs 10 per km. There are many routes where there are only 15-20 passengers at any given time. It is not viable to run a 70-seater bus on such routes. We can't run big buses on narrow roads either. So far we have buses of only one size, which we feel is not right,” said a senior transport official. If smaller buses are pressed into service, these can be used on those routes and timings where buses run below capacity, he added.
Besides, inducting smaller buses may also help in reviving the depleting fleet of the DTC. The corporation could not procure any new buses for the last five years despite several tendering processes. According to transport officials, that is because there are only two manufacturers of large low-floor CNG-run buses: Ashok leyland and Tata Motors. lately, it has been only Tata Motors which participates in the bidding process.
However, if the “trunk and feeder” system is implemented, then present fleet of low-floor buses will be enough for trunk service, an official said. “Smaller buses may also be easier to procure due to larger number of manufacturers making such buses,” the official added.
“We have around 5,000 buses and we are not able to perform to even 50 per cent of our carrying capacity. Except three hours in the morning and three hours in the evening, most buses ply almost empty. We have to see how to utilise these buses in non-peak hours,” said the official.
Meanwhile, Delhi Transport Corporation on Monday introduced its new Aam Aadmi Bypass Express bus service that will ply from Uttam Nagar bus terminal to Sarai Kale Khan ISBT, connecting three National Highways — NH-1, NH-10 and NH-24.
“We have constructed a signal-free elevated road in Delhi from Vikaspuri to Wazirabad. On the same road, we have started a special bus service from Vikaspuri to Sarai Kale Khan that connects three national highways and three Metro lines and two major roads on Trans Yamuna area. We are planning to start the service with 20 buses. If the trial is successful, we will increase the number of buses and will expand number of routes as well,” said Jain.