Govt mulling 3k new buses this year: Rai

Transport Minister Gopal Rai said that as per the plan, 1,000 buses to be run under cluster system which will ply on roads from April-May while 1,000 air-conditioned low-floor buses will hit the streets from September.

The Aam Aadmi Party government has also decided to launch a ‘premium bus service’ with higher fares, a step aimed at encouraging the well-off class to use public transport.

“Under ‘Premium Bus Service’, we will run 1,000 buses by the end of this year. These buses will have AC, water, magazine, marshals, wifi and other facilities,” Rai said on Saturday.

The government will start the premium service for the higher-income group class, most of whom use cars to go to office. The fares of this service will be higher in comparison to normal bus service, he said.

“These buses will ply only on selected routes where the elite classes reside and work. They can also book their seats in these buses online,” Rai said.

The odd-even traffic scheme might be implemented in Delhi after March as the initiative requires some preparations, Rai said. “We might see the implementation of the odd-even scheme in Delhi after March. We have to make some preparations for this,” said, Rai The minister said the class X and XII exams are also conducted in February and March, which is another reason to implement the scheme only after March.

Rai said the city government was looking at all aspects to implement the second phase. Meanwhile, the Delhi government has sought “innovative ideas” from people in the national Capital to make ‘car-free’ day more “interesting” and asked them to send their suggestions via text messages.

Rai said people can send their innovative ideas to 9871215875 and the government will implement them.

One of the worries of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government is that the scheme might unintentionally prompt people to buy two cars which would only add to the traffic woes of the national Capital. 

Rai also said that during the 15-day trial of odd-even car rationing formula, high pollution level was found in bordering areas but in inner areas of Delhi, the pollution level was not so high.

“There are thousands of trucks travelling to other states but enter Delhi. I have written to both UP and Haryana governments to stop such vehicles from entering Delhi and divert them to other ways,” the minister also said.

Rai said that he has also written to the Centre asking it to monitor the construction works of Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways.