To solve the problems being faced by passengers after the ban on the entry of old BS-4 diesel buses in Delhi, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed the transport officials to make adequate arrangements for buses. Under the action plan, the Chief Minister has asked the Transport Corporation to re-schedule the 12 super deluxe BS-6 Volvo buses currently allowed for Delhi and make three trips (one and a half trips) within 24 hours. The Chief Minister has also given instructions to operate 130 BS-6 ordinary buses and 185 contracted CNG buses purchased recently only on the Delhi route. Chief Minister Dhami on Saturday sought information from Additional Secretary Transport Narendra Kumar Joshi about the problems being faced by passengers regarding buses for Delhi. The Additional Secretary said that before the ban, 504 buses of the Transport Corporation were being operated regularly for Delhi. Currently, 194 BS-4 category buses have been banned. Now the corporation has 12 Volvo BS-6 diesel and 185 contracted CNG ordinary buses which can go to Delhi. Apart from this, 130 BS-6 diesel buses purchased recently can also go to Delhi. On this, the Chief Minister has asked to operate all these buses from various cities of the state only on the Delhi route. The Additional Secretary informed that 41 BS-6 diesel buses are also contracted, which are running on local routes, they can also be sent to Delhi if the crowd of passengers increases. The Chief Minister also directed to complete the process of purchasing 100 new BS-6 buses and putting 100 new CNG buses on contract soon. Transport Corporation Managing Director Dr. Anand Srivastava informed that under the action plan, the process of purchasing 100 new BS-6 buses is in progress. Apart from this, 30 CNG buses have been received under the process of taking 100 CNG buses on contract, which are being operated on the Delhi route.
Concern remains about Volvo
Before the ban, 45 of the corporation’s 52 Volvo buses were operating on the Delhi route. 27 buses were going to Delhi from Dehradun alone, while two buses were going to Gurugram via Delhi. Now this number has come down to just 12, out of which eight are running from Dehradun. Online ticket booking of these buses is full. The Chief Minister has directed the corporation to increase the trips of Volvo buses to Delhi in view of the winter holidays in schools and the possible rush of passengers on the New Year. Corporation’s General Manager (Operations) Pawan Mehra said that based on the availability of passengers, the trips of Volvo have been increased from Friday. Currently, an additional Volvo has been added from Doon at 8.30 pm. This bus goes to Delhi at 6 am and returns in the evening and is sent to Delhi again at night. Buses are being re-scheduled on the basis of rotation. Contracted bus operators have also been asked to introduce new buses as an alternative to Volvo.
Preparations to operate buses from Meerut Expressway
Under the action plan, the Transport Corporation is preparing to operate half of the buses going to Delhi via Meerut Expressway. Volvo is already going to Delhi via Noida Sector-62 through this route under the non-stop service. Buses reach Delhi in four and a half to five hours through this route. In such a situation, they can easily make three trips in a day. Corporation officials hope that the number of passengers will also increase by operating on the expressway. Till now, buses used to make two trips (to and fro) to Delhi in 24 hours, but now they will make three trips. General Manager Pawan Mehra said that the number of passengers is limited at present. If the number of passengers increases, the process of making three trips by buses will be adopted.
Send old buses to Kaushambi and Mohannagar
The Chief Minister has directed to operate old diesel buses from Delhi border to Ghaziabad Kaushambi depot and Mohannagar in Uttar Pradesh. He was also asked to talk to the officials of Delhi Transport Corporation in this regard, so that DTC buses can be deployed to enter Delhi for the convenience of passengers from Kaushambi and Mohannagar.
