BRT corridor operations and maintenance handed over to PWD

Concerned over traffic mess in the controversial BRT corridor, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung today handed over its operation and maintenance to PWD and Intelligent Signalling System (ISS)to Delhi Traffic Police.
The previous agency, DIMTS which was looking after the works related to BRT Corridor since the inception of this stretch, has been removed by the government.
Around eight days back, Transport Department sent a proposal of taking away such works from Delhi Integrated Multi Modal Transit System (DIMTS) to Jung who gave his go-ahead in this regard. DIMRS helps the city's government improve transport infrastructure in the national capital.
"The existing BRT corridor from Ambedkar Nagar to Delhi Gate - 14.5 Km of the entire stretch has been handed over to PWD for all the purposes for its operation & maintenance," said a senior government official.

The BRT, which was implemented in 2008 from Amdedkar Nagar to Lajpat Nagar, has been embroiled in controversies since its inception.
The government's move comes after it sought suggestions from experts, who suggested that as PWD has the expertise to handle various Civil Works, so BRT's operation and maintenance should be handed over to it.

"We also received suggestions that DIMTS, which is a private agency, was not able to handle its civil works properly. PWD, which is a government agency, has the expertise in civil works and can handle civil works of BRT Corridor. Threafter, we prepared a proposal in this regard and sent it to L-G for his approval," the official also said.

Delhi Police commissioner B S Bassi recently urged the state government to remove all deficiencies in the controversial BRT Corridor in the national capital.
Delhi Traffic police have also earlier said that the bus stop in the middle of the road increases the risk for pedestrians, besides BRT layout leaves little lane space for maneuvering heavy traffic which results in snarls.
"Government has also given the maintaince of street lights on the BRT corridor to the PWD," he added.
Apart from that, Delhi Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation (DTIDC) has also been asked to look after the maintenance of bus queue shelters on the BRT Corridor, which was earlier maintained by DIMTS.

The official said that revenue earnings from the Bus Queue Shelters (BQS) on the BRT corridor will be paid to DTIDC.
Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who had been strongly defending the project despite widespread opposition to it, had in 2013 admitted that BRT was a mistake and that it would be dismantled if her party came to power.