Cabinet approves proposal for study on rationalising bus routes
NEW DELHI: With ridership in its buses on a steady decline, the Delhi government on Tuesday sanctioned a study for rationalisation of bus routes in the national capital.
The Delhi Cabinet, headed by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, approved the proposed study which will be conducted by the Delhi Integrated Multi Modal System (DIMTS). The study will cover all routes used by Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses, cluster buses, Gramin Sewas, Delhi Metro feeder services and even inter-state buses.
“The study will solve the problems of low frequency, inadequate coverage and crowding, leading to better efficiency of the transport system and enhanced satisfaction level of passengers,” the official said.
DIMTS will complete the study in six months and it is going to cost the government Rs 2.97 crore. However, this is the second time such a study will be done. Earlier in 2010, DIMTS had conducted a similar study but it’s recommendations were never implemented. The government reasoned that a fresh study was needed as many routes and stretches have changed over the past seven years.
The study will include a detailed household travel survey (1% of total households in Delhi). DIMTS will also plan all public transport modes such as standard buses, Gramin Sewa and chartered buses among others.
The company will also conduct workplace surveys in Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Gurgaon and Bahadurgarh to capture the interaction of these cities with Delhi.
“A hierarchical bus route structure will be planned in which high frequency trunk routes will operate on major city corridors supported by a network of highly efficient feeder network connectivity connecting residential areas. That is the aim of the study,” another government official said.
Besides, the study will also seek to develop criteria for delineation of operation area of electric-rickshaws.