'DTC reporting over Rs 1k cr loss per annum since 2015'

New Delhi: Delhi's public transporter DTC has been running at a loss of over Rs 1,000 crore annually since 2015, although it has been unable to add even one bus to its existing fleet, the transport department informed the Delhi Assembly.

The Delhi government also denied reports that an extra Rs 1,000 crore was to be paid to manufacturers of 1,000 low-floor buses being procured by the DTC, for a comprehensive annual maintenance contract.

The transport department revealed this in a written reply to BJP MLA Vijender Gupta on Thursday. The Monsoon session of the Delhi Assembly concluded on Friday.

In reply to another question, the transport department said the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has not bought any bus after 2015.

But under the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) operated cluster scheme, 1,387 buses were procured after 2015.

In the past six years, the DTC suffered losses of Rs 1,019.36 crore in 2014-15, Rs 1,250.15 crore in 2015-16, Rs 1,381.78 crore in 2016-17, Rs 1,730.02 crore in 2017-18, Rs 1,664.56 crore in 2018-19.

According to the interim estimates for 2019-20, the losses stood at Rs 1,834.67 crore, it said. The work order for procurement of 1,000 low floor buses by the DTC were issued to two manufacturers but the process has been put on hold by the transport department.