New Delhi: Imagine a bus route system as fast and reliable as the Delhi Metro. To improve frequency and reliability of the bus network in the city, the Delhi Traffic Police, in consultation with DTC and DIMTS, has proposed express connectivity of 29 major bus routes in the city across radials, concentric circles and east-west connections of the city.
The report, after a monthlong study of all 750 DTC routes, has been submitted to the transport department and proposes to reduce time between two buses to five minutes and a passenger information system (PIS) at each bus stop on these routes. Later, the system may be spread to 459 other routes which have also been earmarked, said officials.
The system targets about 12 lakh users and proposes to make these bus routes into a ‘trunk bus network’, said officials. “We were tasked to provide a recommendation of rationalization of bus routes, along with DTC and DIMTS. The report has been submitted to transport department for consideration,” said additional commissioner of police (traffic) Anil Shukla.
Transport minister Ramakant Goswami had asked traffic police to come up with such a plan after reports of problems with frequency of DTC buses. DIMTS had conducted a study last year as well on this. A joint study team was constituted and all of DTC’s 750 routes were studied and the report was submitted on Tuesday, said Goswami.
“It was found that 488 routes need attention and we are planning to do this in a phased manner to streamline the entire system. The 29 routes selected cater to a maximum number of users. We’ll implement it as soon as possible,” he said. Around 700 buses are currently operational on these routes, and the proposal aims to add 450 more buses on these routes to boost frequency.
These existing routes will be converted into a high frequency network, focusing on reliability, availability, predictability and accessibility. Every bus stand on these routes will have public information system indicating arrival of next bus, said sources. “If implemented, it aims to reduce time between buses to five minutes. The user will be able to read on the PIS board when the next bus is due to arrive,” said an official.
The routes include 12 radial routes, six east-west connections, nine concentric routes and two m u d r i k as. East Delhi is expected to benefit greatly from this as a high number of users are expected to be converted from private vehicle users to public transport commuters.
“Once implemented, the buses on these routes can provide dedicated service. The routes have been carefully chosen based on demand, supply, viability and economics,” said the official.
FASTER SERVICE ON THE CARDS Proposal to make 29 major bus routes into a ‘trunk bus network’
Each bus stand to have public information system indicating arrival of next bus
Aims to reduce time between buses to 5 mins
Routes include 12 radial routes, 6 east-west connections, 9 concentric routes, 2 mudrikas
ROUTES ARE: 73, 114, 131, 214, 236, 307, 357, 405, 419, 502, 578, 604, 611, 717, 729, 817, 926, 971, N-14, Outer Mudrika +/-, Mudrika +/-, GL-23, 764, 740, 534
Source: TOI (18 Apr 2013)
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