This situation has prompted transport minister Kailash Gahlot to express concern that the sudden phasing out of these buses without a plan will compel people to switch to private transport, thereby adding to the congestion and pollution. Additionally, workers' unions are on strike due to fears of job loss.
According to a communication from the transport department, the 997 buses operate on 109 routes. These could be phased out if the concession agreements are not extended beyond June 19.
Several routes would be affected, including Jahangirpuri to Dichaon Kalan, JLN Stadium to Daulatpur, Lado Sarai to Najafgarh, New Delhi Railway Station to Goyla Dairy, Mori Gate to Uttam Nagar, Samashpur Khalsa to ISBT Kashmiri Gate, Nehru Place to Najafgarh, and Pandwala Kalan to Tilak Nagar terminal, a senior official said.
The concessionaire has requested an extension, citing that these buses were inducted late due to the delayed allotment of depots.
The transport department, on the other hand, is reluctant to consider the request in view of the lack of “quality”.
In an internal communication accessed by TOI, minister Kailash Gahlot said that “it is not appropriate for the department to suddenly recommend phasing out of almost 1,000 buses without any alternative arrangement in place".
He warned that a shortage of buses, exacerbated by hot weather, will push people towards private transport.
Gahlot stressed that allowing these 997 buses to go off the road without any alternative arrangement should not be permitted.
He also pointed out that since financial approval for the electrification of many depots is yet to be issued, and it takes at least 12 months to complete the electrification of a depot, many depots will remain unutilised.
There is a provision for an extension of two years without the discretion to do it with the department. Transport commissioner Prashant Goyal said that there has been no final decision on it.
DTC Karmachari Ekta Union president Lalit said there has been a protest at depots such as in Rajghat, Dilshad Garden depots, Seemapuri, Kair and Dichaon Kalan due to it.
“The workers will lose their jobs if buses go so they are protesting,” he said.
Faculty at the Asian Institute of Transport Development, Anil Chhikara, said: “If there is no alternate arrangement, then these buses can be given an extension, but there should be periodic inspection to see their condition to ensure that they are in usable condition,” said the former deputy commissioner. He said that similar situations had occurred while he was in office and buses were given extensions to meet passenger demand.
The city’s public fleet, which includes DTC and cluster vehicles, has about 7,500 buses.
Of these, 1,650 are electric buses, and the remaining are DTC and cluster CNG buses.
According to the Statistical Handbook, 2023, an average of 4.1 million passengers commute daily on buses in the capital annually.
In 2018, govt told the top court that the required number of buses in the city is 11,000. Since then, the population had only gone up. Connectivity to outer Delhi areas was a major issue in this year's poll, especially for connectivity to colleges and different parts of the city.
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