Delhi Government is likely to decide tomorrow whether to bring back the ‘killer’ blueline bus services in the national capital or to withdraw them permanently.
The fate of 1,600 blueline buses, majority of which went off Delhi roads last month in view of the Commonwealth Games, is likely to be decided at a meeting between Transport Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely and Blueline bus owners.
The buses were supposed to be back on roads from Monday last, but Mr. Lovely said the blueline buses, which are highly unpopular among the public for over-speeding, will not ply on Delhi roads till October 25.
The meeting also comes two days after a youth was killed by a speeding blueline bus in south Delhi.
Sources say the government wants to get rid of the private buses in the national capital and replace them with the new fleet of DTC buses.
Over 1,000 new low-floor buses, which were used to ferry athletes and dignitaries during the Games, have been included in the DTC’s fleet now. The DTC will also induct more buses into its fleet in the coming days.
These, the sources say, will be put on various routes in the national capital which are currently covered by the blueline buses.
The Delhi Government has already decided to withdraw the buses from the Lutyen’s zone and a decision on such vehicles in other areas may be taken tomorrow.
Transport Ministry officials say the government is fully committed to phasing out the Blueline buses as the State-owned Delhi Transport Corporation now has adequate number of buses to meet the requirements of Delhiites.
A total of 1,600 Blueline buses, plying in south and central Delhi and near the venues of the Games, went off roads in September after a directive from the Delhi Government.
In the first phase, the government may decide to withdraw 1,000 blueline buses.
Delhi Government has been planning for the past couple of years to phase out the Blueline buses but was not able to do in the absence of an alternative plan.
The Delhi High Court had stayed the Government’s move to phase out the Blueline buses in February this year arguing that the DTC alone was not capable to meet the requirement of public transport.
The Government is also likely to file an affidavit in the Delhi High Court seeking to phase out these buses permanently.
Transport Department officials feel the absence of Blueline buses not only decongested the roads but there has also been a decline in the number of road fatalities during the period.
