The efforts of Delhi government to phase out the Bluelines (often called ad bloodlines) has got a serious kickback as now it is concentrating more on adequate supply of buses before commonwealth games
Delhi’s dream of getting rid of "killer" Bluelines has been put on the backburner. The state government has put the corporatization plan "on hold for now" to ensure that about 3,100 buses ordered by Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) arrive before the Commonwealth Games 2010.
Sources said the process of appointing an operator for the first cluster has been put on hold, but the scheme will take off again after a sizeable part of buses ordered by DTC arrives.
The two bus manufacturers in the country, Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland are utilizing their entire capacity to deliver DTC’s order for about 3,125 low-floor buses and another 1,100 semi-low-floor buses in time for the Commonwealth Games. The deadline for making the delivery of these orders is March 2010, but the first lot of buses is yet to arrive from any of the two companies. However, Tata Motors is expected to deliver about 25 buses by this month-end.
Delhi government is also planning to place order for more buses with the funds from urban development ministry under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme to promote public transport. In such a scenario, if the corporates, to whom each of the 17 clusters, which the city is divided into, will be awarded the corporatization scheme, also start placing orders for buses, it is feared that the delivery of the DTC orders will get affected.
The government is of the opinion that if the corporates also approach the manufacturers with orders for more buses, it will add to the strain. ‘‘Corporates may be given faster delivery of buses as they can disburse funds more quickly than the government, which has to follow certain process for making payments,’’ sources said.
The option of importing buses from other countries was also looked into, but the rates being quoted were much higher than those offered by the Indian manufacturers.
Transport minister Arvinder Singh Lovely confirmed that the first cluster has not been awarded yet. "The corporatization scheme has been put on hold for now. Once the DTC bus order starts rolling, the first cluster will be awarded to the identified bidder," Lovely told in an interview with a leading English daily.
Sources said the phase-out of Bluelines will continue as per schedule, and by the end of the year another 700 buses will be taken off the roads. If the delivery of new DTC buses is delayed, the Bluelines phase-out process may be slowed down. The transport department has also stopped issuing new permits for Blueline buses, and even extensions of permits are temporary.
With the corporatization process having been delayed now, it seems unlikely that Delhi will meet the requirement of 11,000 buses on capital roads by 2010, as prescribed by the Supreme Court.
At present, there are about 5,800 buses, including 2,700 Bluelines and 3,100 DTC buses, operating on Delhi roads. Over 1,000 Bluelines have been phased out this year. But the government says the gap is being made up by increasing the efficiency of DTC buses, which are now making 20,400 trips as against 16,000 trips earlier.
Officials, however, said the city will not face shortage of buses before the Games. "The 11,000 mark for buses may not be reached by 2010, but there will be over 6,000 DTC buses and another 2,000-odd Bluelines plying in the city till next year. The number of trips made by DTC buses are being increased and people will not feel inconvenienced," sources said.
So far, DTC has just got the first order of 625 low floor buses.
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