DTC says can't provide buses to schools, asks them to look for alternatives

New Delhi: With no addition to its depleting fleet in the past one decade, public transporter DTC has expressed inability to provide buses to schools and security agencies for their normal deployments, urging them to explore alternatives. The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), which runs over 3,700 low-floor buses, has written to schools and agencies like police conveying its decision.

"We have asked the schools to look for alternative arrangements. Although we are committed for making available buses for law and order duties but we have also urged the security agencies to explore hiring private buses for their normal deployments," said DTC managing Director Vijay Bidhuri.

The DTC provides nearly 580 buses including 497 non-AC and 92 AC low-floor buses to government and private schools on a daily shifts, officials said. Also, the Delhi Police and paramilitary forces hire over 300 buses for the deployment of their personnel across the city each day, they said.

"Our first priority is to serve the commuters which is affected due to our obligations towards providing buses on hire to the schools and government agencies. We have urged them to explore other options instead of depending on DTC buses," Bihuri said. The financially ailing DTC has been running into losses of over Rs 1,000 crore annually since 2015, and has been unable to add even one bus to its existing fleet, the transport department informed the Delhi Assembly earlier this year.

The entire aged fleet of 3,760 low-floor buses operated by the DTC was purchased in 2008. Out of total 3760 bus fleet of DTC, over 3,000 are more than a decade old, officials said. “Old buses mean more of them are under repairs rather than on the roads. In such a situation, it becomes difficult to cover all the scheduled routes while also meeting hiring demands,” said a senior DTC officer.

The attempt of Delhi government to resurrect the DTC by procuring 1000 low floor buses to boost its fleet has been shot down by allegations of corruption in annual maintenance contract. The CBI has initiated a preliminary enquiry into the maintenance contract. The Transport department has kept on hold the procurement process, officials. Nevertheless, the DTC has already floated a tender of procurement of 300 electric buses that are expected to roll out from November, they added.

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