Delhi Metro has done wonders with the public transport system in the city. But authorities have failed to provide a robust public bus transport network to over four million residents who commute by bus in the capital daily.
However, the bus transport system in the city is all set to see a sea change with implementation of route rationalisation of DTC buses.
Major locations
The traffic police, in association with DIMTS and the transport department, have prepared a plan to convert at least 29 bus routes into ‘trunk routes’ — commuters can take DTC buses connecting major locations of the city at regular intervals.
According to the proposed plan, buses will be available at a frequency of five to 10 minutes between 7 am and 11 pm on the trunk routes.
These will connect major destinations in the city like railway stations, inter-state bus terminals, major commercial hubs and residential colonies.
Traffic police officials made a presentation of the plan to city transport minister Ramakant Goswami on Tuesday.
“The proposed plan basically defines the 29 routes in three forms — concentric routes, radial routes on major arterial roads, and east-west corridor. The focus of the route plan is biased towards providing better connectivity to outer Delhi areas and east Delhi with the rest of the city,” said additional commissioner of police (traffic) Anil Shukla.
The traffic police said availability of public transport both in outer and east Delhi is inadequate compared to population density and the number of bus commuters.
Officials said once operational, the trunk routes will cater to some 12 lakh people daily.
In order to make the bus service reliable, the plan suggested the transport department to provide passenger information system at bus stops on these routes.
The proposed route rationalisation plan has been made on the basis of a survey done by Delhi Integrated Multi Modal Transit System on existing bus routes.
It included a survey of traffic volume on a particular route, the number of commuters and major catchment areas, which can be catered to by tweaking existing routes.
Officials said they have also proposed the transport department to roll out more buses on these routes to ensure bus service at the stipulated frequency.
More buses
“Currently, some 750 buses ply on these routes. We have proposed to roll out 450 more buses. Once 1,200 buses are available on these routes, they will be enough to meet the frequency of five minutes on most of the trunk routes. On some routes, the expected frequency will be between eight and 10 minutes,” said Shukla.
Some of the major routes that have been included in the trunk route plan includes Ring Road, Outer Ring Road, route numbers 971, 764, 73, 114, 131, 214, 236, 307, 357, 405, 419, 502, 578, 604, 611, 717, 729, 926, 471, M-14, Gl-23, 740 and 534.
If the plan is successful, bus service on these routes will be available round-the-clock, officials said.
Better connectivity
At least 29 bus routes will be converted into trunk routes. These routes will
connect major destinations like railway stations, bus terminals, commercial hubs and residential colonies.
Major bus routes that will be part of the trunk route are:
Ring Road
Outer Ring Road
971: Anand Vihar ISBT-Rohini Sector-1 Avantika
926: Fateh Puri-Tikri Border
764: Najafgarh-Nehru Place
740: Anand Vihar-Uttam Nagar terminal
729: Mori Gate-Kapashera border
717: Badarpur border-Kapasher border
611: Mayur Vihar Phase-III-Dhaula Kuan
534: Anand Vihar-Mehrauli Terminal
578: Safdarjung-Najafgarh