DTC plans to roll out interstate bus services within a month

New Delhi, Aug 27 (PTI) The Delhi government's interstate bus service is likely to roll out within a month, with the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) planning to deploy three to four electric buses to nearby locations in the initial phase to test the waters, officials said.

Earlier this year, the DTC had approved a plan to introduce 100 electric interstate buses on 17 routes. The maiden journey will be from New Delhi to Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh.

"We are planning to roll out three to four electric buses that we already have to a nearby location. This service is likely to start within a month," an official said.

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 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 had come 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. PTI SLB HIG