By IANS
New Delhi : The Delhi Metro will purchase its own feeder buses fitted with the Global Positioning System (GPS) to make the metro stations easily accessible to commuters from far-off places in the capital.
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) chief spokesman Anuj Dayal Tuesday said: "DMRC will soon launch a metro link bus service scheme under which we will purchase CNG-fitted feeder buses."
Initially, around 60 buses will be purchased and run on 36 routes. They will be given to private operators. "The number may be gradually increased subject to the viability of the project and decision of the DMRC.
"The buses will be fitted with GPS facilities so that their movement can be tracked. They will also have the provision for use of smart cards at a later stage," he said.
People from far-off places like Preet Vihar, New Ashok Nagar, Sadar Bazar, Dabri, Najafgarh, Sonia Vihar, Anand Parbat, Palam Vihar and many more would be able to avail the facility.
The buses will be fitted with first-aid boxes, fire extinguishers and other precautionary and necessary provisions. The buses would bear the Delhi Metro logo and route names in bold lettering.
Each bus will have a maximum seating capacity of 24. The length of each route would be three to 15 km. The buses would be handed over to private operators on "lease and transfer basis", he said.
"The operators will be required to pay back the cost of the vehicles in five years after which they will become owners," he said, adding that the proposed fare structure would be Rs.5 up to 8 km and Rs.7 for a distance above 8 km.
Like the Delhi Transport Corporation, there would be provision for monthly passes as well. Among the stations to get this facility are Vishwa Vidyalaya, Shastri Park, Rohini (east and west), Indraprastha and Dwarka.
The Delhi Metro has a network of over 65 kilometres and ferries over 525,000 commuters every day.