Delhi govt withdraws over 550 cluster buses from service, no replacement plan in sight

The Delhi government decided to withdraw over 550 cluster buses from the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) service without planning any replacement for them, on Wednesday (July 16). A report by The New Indian Express (TNIE) stated that the transporters of these cluster buses alleged that many of these vehicles still had a permit to operate till 2027.”From Seemapuri depot, our 68 buses are permitted to operate till 2026, while 68 more are valid till 2027,” Antony Road Transport Solutions’ Raju was quoted as saying by TNIE.

The move is expected to disrupt the public transportation services in the city as many people who depend on these buses are expected to face difficulties in daily commute.

Read more: Five gunmen enter ICU, shoot down murder convict in Patna Hospital and walk away free | Watch videoOperated under the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS), these orange cluster buses have been on Delhi’s roads for the past decade. The decision has affected over 533 buses stationed at the Seemapuri, Rajghat and Najafgarh depots.

The buses covered about 40 different routes in Delhi, connecting several regions such as Kashmere Gate ISBT, Dwarka, Nehru Place, and Kapashehra.

The permits for these buses expired on July 15 and were not renewed, according to the officials, as per the report. The removal of these buses has led to a drop in the total DIMTS-operated vehicles to about 2,700 now.

The bus operators have criticised the decision, alleging that the government plans to clear the way for a large fleet of electric buses from a major vendor who is potentially going to create a monopoly.

“Contracts for these buses could have been extended. They run on CNG and are non-polluting vehicles. Besides, there is no immediate plan to induct EV buses as replacements. This will hugely affect commuters and the public transport system,” Sanjay Samrat, President of Delhi Taxi Tourist Transporters and Tour Operators Association was quoted as saying by TNIE.

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The report stated that the transport officials declined to comment on the influence of the vendor in the matter. They also did not confirm any possible schedule or a timeline for the induction of the new buses replacing these retired cluster buses.