Private operators assure Delhi govt of enough buses for odd-even days

Private bus operators on Thursday assured the Delhi government that they will provide adequate number of buses during the 12-day-long odd-even road rationing scheme which will begin from November 4. The Delhi government is going to hire 2,000 private buses to boost the public transport system during the odd-even scheme. Currently, around 5,600 buses are run by DTC and DIMTS under Cluster scheme.

Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot held a meeting with bus operators in the city on Thursday.

"The bus operators have promised to provide the number of buses required," a senior official of the Transport department said.

Another official said that registration of private buses for the odd-even scheme was going on a "slow pace" as operators were not coming forward to offer their buses for hiring.

"The date of registration has been extended upto November 3 since just over 100 buses have been registered so far against the target of 2000," he said.

Harish Sabharwal, general secretary of Delhi Contract Bus Association, said that the bus operators will provide the desired number of buses before the odd-even scheme rolls out.

"We asked the Transport minister to allow us a window of time from 1 PM to 3 PM for our engagements with schools, after which we can provide the buses to be run for common passengers," Sabharwal said.

The odd-even scheme will be implemented from next Monday till November 15. Private vehicles having odd and even last digits of registration number will ply on alternate days. CNG-run private vehicles have not been exempted this time.