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“Bluelines will be out by March 2010”

New Delhi: The Delhi Government will completely phase out the Blueline buses from the Capital’s roads by March 2010, Transport Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely said on Monday.

While the Lieutenant-Governor’s Address in the Delhi Assembly did mention that these buses would be phased out, it did not give any time-frame. But Mr. Lovely said these buses would be removed altogether by March next year.

Stating that the process had already begun, he added that the decision to purchase 3,800 semi-low-floor buses was taken to speed up the process of procurement of new buses for the Delhi Transport Corporation so that commuters were not inconvenienced because of fewer buses on the roads.

Mr. Lovely said since the suppliers of low-floor buses were not in a position to meet Delhi’s entire demand for buses ahead of the Commonwealth Games in 2010, it was decided to go in for the semi-low-floor buses which also cost about Rs.8 lakh less than the low-floor buses and supplies of which can be obtained at short notice.

“These buses are being manufactured at different units and therefore major companies are in a position to supply them in large quantities at short notice. Also, there is stiffer competition in this segment and many foreign companies also make these buses,” he said, adding that the process of tendering would be undertaken soon.

The Transport Minister also clarified that, like the low-floor buses, the semi-low-floor buses would also be completely disabled-friendly: “Though they would be higher, they would be able to tilt to a side with a hydraulic system and would also have a plate at the entrance that could be extended out for taking in wheelchair-users from the bus stops.”

Mr. Lovely said concern had been expressed about this issue by various disability rights groups and adequate care had been taken to see that the buses promote a barrier-free environment for the disabled.

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