Acute shortage of public transport in Delhi: Only 5,554 buses plying against required 11k

NEW DELHI: Delhi is facing an acute shortage of public transport as only 5,554 buses against the required number of 11,000 vehicles are plying in the national capital. As per the directions of the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court, the total requirement of bus fleet in the city was 11,000 but presently only 5,554 CNG -run buses were being operated in Delhi.

The Delhi government claimed that 1275 low floor AC buses, 2,506 low floor non-Ac buses and 1,672 orange colour standard low floor buses were being operated under the cluster scheme, which was introduced in 2011 to replace the erstwhile blue line buses, said a senior Transport official.

On a question on new buses for Delhi, the Transport official said, in the next 10-12 months Delhi will have 3,000 new buses on the roads. The buses will start coming this month and 3000 buses would arrive in city by 10-12 months. All these buses will have CCTV installed in them. But in last four years, no any bus has been added to city bus fleets.

Reacting on Delhi public Transport, Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said that the transportation facility of Delhi has been failed completely as the numbers of DTC buses have been halved. "Looking at the population of Delhi, there should be 20,000 buses, but Delhi government has shown a negative approach towards it, rather than increasing the number of buses. In last 54 months, Kejriwal has spent his time in allegations rather than development of Delhi," said Tiwari.

Delhi cabinet had taken a decision in September last year for inducting 2,000 standard fllor buses through procurement of 1,000 buses by the DTC and engagement of 1,000 buses under the cluster Scheme. The Delhi government claimed that a cabinet decision was taken on May 18 to procure additional 2,000 low floor buses which are likely to be procured by May 2020 and the DTC board has also decided to procure 500 low floor CNG buses.