The Hindu : New Delhi News : Capital gets a ‘green’ Diwali gift

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 07, 2007
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New Delhi

New Delhi

Capital gets a ‘green’ Diwali gift

Staff Reporter

Photo: V. Sudershan

New arrival: A physically-challenged person boarding a low-floor eco-friendly CNG bus belonging to DTC in the Capital on Tuesday. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit flagged off a fleet of eleven such buses.

NEW DELHI: Marking a red letter day in the annals of the Delhi Transport Corporation, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday flagged off the first lot of a dozen “green” low-floor CNG buses on Rajpath here.

Accompanied by Transport Minister Haroon Yusuf, the Chief Minister also took a round in a red air-conditioned bus to get a feel of the modern service and features provided in it. Of the 12 buses that the DTC has received, two would be used for training of drivers.

Earlier, speaking at a ceremony organised at the India Gate lawns, the Chief Minister expressed confidence that the introduction of these modern buses with several unique features such as hydraulic doors and in-built speed governors would help in curbing accidents on the road.

The non air-conditioned low-floor buses have been coloured “pista green” using polyurethane paint. They are disabled-friendly and have a 230-horsepower engine, roof-mounted eco-friendly CNG cylinders, gas-leakage detection alarm system, full air-suspension, automatic transmission, anti-skid and anti-lock breaking system, pre-installed speed governors, steel radial tubeless tyres, pneumatically controlled doors, rear engine and alfa numeric dual display for the destination boards.

The buses launched on Tuesday would run on Route 500 between Shivaji Stadium and Saket Terminal. The conductors on these buses would use automatic ticketing machines and the bus crew have also been given a smart new uniform. Describing the launch of the new buses as a Diwali gift to all commuters, Ms. Dikshit said with their arrival a dream has been fulfilled. She said the low-floor buses would change the way people travel as 525 such buses would be inducted into the DTC fleet by the end of this financial year. The number of such buses, she said, would be doubled within two years from 3,000 to 6,100. This would also lead to creation of 18,000 additional jobs.

Ms. Dikshit also directed the DTC to employ more women drivers and conductors. She also announced that women would be allowed to travel free in DTC buses on “Bhaiya Duj” this coming Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Bonus for DTC staff

The bonus for the DTC staff would also be released before Diwali, she added.

The Chief Minister said the DTC would also be giving a facelift to existing bus shelters and 1,200 of them would be ready by next year. Also, though its old global positioning system (GPS)-based tracking system had failed miserably, the DTC would now get a new system and tenders for the same have been issued.

The Chief Minister also announced that a study for commissioning of monorail in Delhi has been completed. Further, for improving public transport, she said, the High Capacity Bus System between Ambedkar Nagar and Ambedkar Stadium would be commissioned soon and another five HCBS corridors have been identified.

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