World | India
New buses revolutionise Delhi's transport system
The perpetually loss-making Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), with a reputation of unreliable service, has scripted a new story that promises to change the city's public transport system.
- By Nilima Pathak, Correspondent
- Published: 23:47 October 16, 2008
- The new buses being introduced in Delhi are comfortable, affordable and reliable.
- Image Credit: Munish Khanna/Gulf News
New Delhi: The perpetually loss-making Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), with a reputation of unreliable service, has scripted a new story that promises to change the city's public transport system.
The sloppy DTC buses, slowly being phased out, are being replaced by a sleek green and cherry red air-conditioned fleet. They are comfortable, affordable, disabled-friendly and reliable. They have automatic transmission and pneumatic doors, which open and close at the press of a button, and are just 390mm from the ground and convenient to board.
Transport Minister Haroon Yousuf is gung-ho about it. "We needed good buses on the roads with better technology. The idea behind introducing air-conditioned buses is to wean away people from personal vehicles to public transport. And only a good transport system can make people park their cars at home.
"The reputation of DTC had gone down as they were rickety and not punctual. And also mainly due to lack of a modern fleet and shortage of drivers, commuters had been suffering for years. With the new buses, things are improving, as they are plying in several areas across the city," he said.
Although currently it is still not the kind of system that the capital of a progressive country deserves, the scene is slowly changing. And commuters are certainly appreciating it.
Rohit Grover, a banker in Connaught Place, said, "I had been planning to buy a car, but have started taking the newly introduced buses. They are not only comfortable, but also reasonably priced. Having regular service, the air-conditioned buses have proved to be a good alternative."
Grover said earlier he commuted by a chartered bus. But on the days that he had to work late, he would have to take an auto rickshaw to go home. "It was impossible to travel in the crowded Blueline buses. But at the same time, haggling with the auto drivers was another issue. All these are a thing of the past," he said.
Shalini Khanna, another resident, said, "Commuting in Delhi was never a pleasant experience. I could not ask my husband to accompany me everywhere in the car, but now I do not have to think twice before planning an outing with my children. The buses are air-conditioned and not crowded, which is an experience one never thought of getting in Delhi."
No doubt, the buses have proved to be an instant hit. And since they are doing brisk business and raking in over twice the moolah earned by ordinary buses, the Delhi government is now planning to increase the fleet.
This means the end of the road for 'killer' Blueline buses, which are likely to be phased out in the next two years. These buses had been instrumental in snuffing out lives of several hundred people in the city.
The new DTC buses are already giving the private players a run for their money. Said Rafiq, a Blueline bus driver, plying on the south Delhi stretch, "We are seeing a loss of Rs1,000-Rs1,500 (Dh74-Dh111) per day because of the new buses. Our routes have also been changed, resulting in our earnings decreasing.
"There is one DTC bus every four minutes compared to a Blueline bus every seven minutes. Also, of late, we find commuters prefer to wait, rather than board our buses."
On an average, a single low-floor AC bus earns Rs6,000 (Dh444) per day, while an old bus earns about Rs3,500 (Dh259), a DTC official said.
The prices of the tickets are Rs10 (74 fils), Rs15 (Dh1.1) and Rs25 (Dh1.85), depending on the route.
To encourage commuters to park their cars and ride a low-floor bus, the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) authorities are planning parking slots along the BRT corridor. And according to the plans of the government, by 2010, about 60 per cent of public transport on the city's roads would be run by DTC.
All about comfort
- A recent survey conducted by RITES, a central government undertaking, said that 60 per cent of Delhiites will leave their cars at home and commute by buses if it saves 10 minutes and gives them a comfortable ride.
- Seventeen per cent would not mind shelling out 1.5 times the current fare structure for an improved public transport system.
- Ten per cent are willing to pay twice the fare for reliable transport.
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