DDA starts shuttle buses in Narela to boost connectivity
NEW DELHI: The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on Monday started a shuttle bus service in Narela, between various housing complexes and the nearest transit nodes. The move comes after the land owning agency received several complaints from residents of DDA housing complexes regarding the lack of basic infrastructure in the area.
The bus service in Narela will be between sectors G2, G8 and the nearest bus stops. Based on the response from residents of Narela, the service will be extended to Siraspur and the newly developed sectors of Rohini in the coming days.
DDA vice-chairman Tarun Kapoor said, “We have started two buses in Narela which will take residents to the nearest bus stands. We will add more buses in the days to come, depending on the demand. Poor transport options has been the main complaint of residents in these areas.”
The DDA has recently invited quotations from private bus operators. “The shuttle service will be free of cost for residents. It will cost DDA ₹8,500-9,000 per bus per day. We will have to run the facility for at least four to five months till the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) improves the service in Narela. But it all depends on the response from the people,” a senior official said.
The DDA had recently invited financial quotations from private bus operators in which it said it plans to hire five buses for the shuttle service.
Sanjay Saini, a resident of DDA flats in Sector G2 Narela, said, “It will benefit people if the bus service is started between our residential areas and till the Narela bus depot or the nearest Metro station.”
With nearly 8,000 flats returned by allottees of the 2017 housing scheme—there second time in a row when people returned DDA flats—the land owning agency has been making efforts to upgrade the public infrastructure. While the small size of the flats has been the primary reason for allottees return- ing flats, those living there also cite lack of public transport as the main cause of worry.
The DDA has taken up the issue of lack of public transport with the DTC, a senior DDA official said. “This is a stopgap arrangement till the DTC improves the bus service in the area. The DTC has one bus depot in the area. There is land earmarked for two more depots,” a DDA official, requesting anonymity, said.
DDA officials say more people are likely to move in to the housing complexes developed by it, as it has recently invited applications from government and public sector undertakings for bulk purchase of flats, which were returned by allottees of 2014 and 2017 housing schemes.