Delhi govt likely to start interstate bus service from September 25

The Delhi government is likely to launch its interstate bus service on September 25, over a decade after it was halted after transition of DTC buses to CNG, officials said.

Earlier this year, the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) approved a plan to introduce 100 electric interstate buses on 17 routes.

Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Singh said, "Tomorrow is PM Narendra Modi's birthday. Delhi and the entire country is going to celebrate it as a festival. He has always thought about the welfare of people, development of India. Hence, you will see a big celebration tomorrow. I pray for PM's long life. We are going to flag off interstate buses."  According to officials, the buses are likely to be flagged off on September 25 and will be travelling to Baraut.

In the first phase, the government is launching the services to a nearby location to test waters. There are likely to be three buses that will ply.

Speaking about the next phase of the rollout, the official said the initial plan to use electric buses for all routes has been revised.

"It is not feasible to ply electric buses to far-off locations because of the lack of charging infrastructure. So, it has been decided that we will take buses on a wet lease model, wherein a concessionaire will come on board and operate the buses for us. These will be BS-VI compliant buses," the official added.

He said the DTC is currently working on preparing the tender, after which the next phase of the project will begin. The revenue-sharing model with the concessionaire will be finalised once the agreement is in place.

The DTC has shortlisted 17 destinations for the interstate bus service. These include Rishikesh, Haridwar, and Dehradun in Uttarakhand; Panipat in Haryana; Ayodhya, Lucknow, and Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh; and Amritsar, Chandigarh, and Jammu.

The long-route buses will be 12 metres long, air-conditioned, and equipped with luggage space, he said.

Regarding fares, the official said they will be finalised once the concessionaire is on board.

"The fares will be economical and lower than those of most buses currently operating on these routes," he added.

The DTC's interstate bus service came to a halt in 2010 following the transition of its fleet to CNG and the limited availability of the fuel in other states. Prior to that, DTC buses were a preferred choice for interstate travel due to their reliability and affordable fares.