DTC to buy 1,000 standard floor buses this fiscal

In a long awaited move, the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has decided to procure 1,000 standard-floor buses, non-air conditioned buses in the current financial year.

Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Wednesday said that as many as 1,000 new buses will be added to the DTC fleet to boost the public transport system in the national Capital. The decision had been taken in a DTC board meeting on Tuesday.

"We have not purchased any new buses in the past two-three years and this was needed to strengthen the public transport system," said Gahlot, adding that the buses are expected to start arriving before the end of the current financial year.

It may be mentioned that the DTC has not added any new bus in its fleet since 2013. The minister said the move will be a great push to the state-owned carrier, which had been facing a 'huge shortage' of buses for a long time.

"As per rough estimates, procurement of buses will cost the government around Rs 400 crore," Gahlot said.

He further said that DTC will soon float tenders for the procurement of buses, adding the government expects that all buses will come on roads in the current financial.

The Corporation has also decided to abolish Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) system as the Delhi government expects that this would attract more bus manufacturers.

"The AMC was one of the major hurdles in procuring new buses. If required, the DTC will recruit more persons for the maintenance of buses," Gahlot said.

Due to a low maintenance charge, bus manufacturers were not showing any interest.

At present, the DTC has about 3,900 buses in its fleet, including 1,200 air-conditioned low-floor ones. As per a recent court order, DTC and Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System Ltd. (DIMTS) have to run 5,500 buses each in the city.

Asked about the DTC's additional proposal of mini buses, Gahlot said it is under consideration and that a decision will be taken soon.