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High-Capacity Buses unlikely before April

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI DEC. 20 . Delhiites wanting to take a ride on High-Capacity Buses will have to wait for some more time. The introduction of this new public transport system will now be possible only in April next year. It has also been decided to keep on hold the idea of having dedicated corridors for these buses, signalling slowing down of reforms in the transport sector. Earlier, the Delhi Government had promised to put these buses into operation by this year-end.

A decision to this effect was taken at a review meeting of the Transport Department held by the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit.

She also held review meetings relating to the Education and Power Departments as well. Also present on the occasion were the Transport Minister, Haroon Yusuf, the Education Minister, Arvinder Singh Lovely, and the Chief Secretary, Shailja Chandra.

It was decided that the High Capacity Bus system should be introduced in the Capital as soon as possible and officers were asked to take measures to ensure that this was done within the next three months. However, the Government was not clear on what all corridors these buses would ply in the initial stages and why the plan for dedicated corridors, that were the outstanding feature of this service, had been given up.

In a related meeting on power, the Chief Minister took up the issue of alleged fast running electricity meters and hiked power bills. It was decided that the private distribution companies should come out with a sustained publicity campaign that generates awareness about the benefits of new meters and counter allegations that suggest billing was not proper. She also directed officers to be prepared to handle increase in power demand in the ongoing winter season. However, Mr. Yusuf intervened and said the power demand this winter was expected to be around 3,100 MW and the availability was around 3200 MW.

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