Delhi govt to add new 2,500 buses, expand metro network

The Delhi government in its budget 2020-21 presented in Assembly by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday targeted to boost the public transport with nearly new 2,500 buses and expand the metro train network.

In the total outlay of Rs 5,941 for public transport sector in 2020-21, Sisodia proposed an allocation of Rs 900 crore for Delhi Metro's Phase IV project.

This will be in addition to Rs 1,324 crore in revised estimate of 2019-20 and Rs 200 crore released to DMRC in 2018-19 for the project, he said.

"'In the Kejriwal model of governance', the chief minister has guaranteed the largest and cheapest public transport system in Delhi. Under this, the government has a target to make the total fleet of 11,000 buses and to lay 500 km metro line," Sisodia said.

The scheme for free ride to women in public transport buses, which is credited to have paved the way for massive victory of the AAP in the recent Assembly polls, will continue in 2020-21, he said.

New low-floor buses are now included in Delhi's public transport fleet for the first time since the Commonwealth Games.

"Altogether 2,485 new buses -- 1,300 DTC and 1,185 cluster buses including 685 electric buses -- will be added to the fleet during the year 2020-21.

"Also, 1,880 buses -- 444 DTC and 1,436 cluster buses -- will be purchased from 2021-22. In this way, the target of the total fleet size of 11,000 buses will be met."