NEW DELHI: Giving a rural push to the city’s bus fleet, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday flagged off 50 new high-tech CNG buses and 66 enforcement vehicles in the Capital. With this addition, the number of public buses running in Delhi is now 7,320, which include 4,010 of Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and the remaining 3,310 of Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) under the cluster scheme. The enforcement vehicles will be used for ensuring that bus lanes are not encroached upon and clear out narrow roads for public transport, wherever required. The new buses, said Kejriwal, will run on six new routes to increase rural connectivity and will be stationed at Bawana depot in northwest Delhi. These buses will connect several villages on the north-western outskirts of the city with New Delhi Railway Station, Indira Gandhi International airport and other parts of the city. “These buses are equipped with several modern facilities, including CCTV cameras, panic buttons and GPS, for the safety of citizens,” Kejriwal said. The chief minister added that at 7,320, Delhi now boasts of the highest ever number of public buses, DTC and cluster scheme combined, running in the city. “By 2025, there will be more than 10,000 buses in Delhi, and almost 80% of them will be electric. Our vision is that the transport system of the Capital should be better than any city in any developed country of the world,” the CM said. Currently, Delhi has 250 electric buses while 50 more are likely to be added soon. Kejriwal said that this was the first time that the enforcement wing of the transport department was inducting motorcycles in its fleet. These bikes would especially be used for lane enforcement and clearing out narrow stretches where a four-wheeler cannot easily reach. “We began lane enforcement in April and have received positive results. People have now developed a habit of driving in their lanes and they are following traffic rules on their own,” he added. Delhi transport minister Kailash Gahlot added that enforcement vehicles will help in keeping the bus lanes free from encroachment and parked vehicles and ensure faster movement of buses. “We now have 120 vehicles in the enforcement team, which includes 84 four-wheelers and 36 two-wheelers. These vehicles are equipped with a siren and public announcement system, and will be stationed throughout the day covering major stretches like Outer Ring Road and Inner Ring Road to create awareness for not disturbing the movement of buses and also to issue challan to private vehicles parked in bus lanes,” Gahlot said.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/50-new-cng-buses-flagged-off-with-eye-on-rural-parts/articleshow/94796185.cms