By IANS,
New Delhi: With Jan 31, 2011 fixed as last day for Blueline buses on the capital’s roads, the Delhi government has decided to float tenders for more routes soon under the cluster system.
The city has so far cleared five clusters, a system under which the over 600 routes in the city have been divided among 17 clusters. Under this, over 800 buses will be on the roads within six months.
“In the coming week, tenders will be floated for the introduction of the cluster system in some more areas like east and west Delhi,” a Delhi government official said.
The Delhi cabinet Nov 1 had approved four clusters while another cluster for south Delhi was decided a year ago.
Cluster 1, comprising 32 routes, has been given to StarBus of Spicejet Group which will induct 232 buses in a phased manner till April 11, 2011. Besides, there will be 232 private buses in cluster 2, 182 in cluster 3, 148 in cluster 4 and 120 in cluster 5.
The privately-owned and run Blueline buses, blamed for hundreds of deaths on city roads, will be out from the city roads after Jan 31. The government now is in the process of expanding the number of its fleet so that commuters don’t face any problem after the Blueline phaseout.
As per the government plan, as many as 4,400 buses under 17 clusters will join the nearly 6,500 DTC buses in the capital. A government affidavit in the high court pointed out that 11,000 buses are needed to meet the public transport needs of Delhi.