Corporates get nod for 4 new bus clusters

The contract for the first bus cluster was awarded to Star Bus Services Pvt Ltd last November and the operator is likely to start its service along the BRT corridor in South Delhi with 232 buses later this month. The bidding process for the remaining bus clusters have been pending for over six months.

Officials said the second cluster has been awarded to Indraprastha Logistics Ltd that had quoted a minimum amount of Rs 30.88 per km. The operator will run 232 buses in the area allotted to it. Clusters three,four and five have been awarded to A B Grain Spirits Pvt Ltd. For cluster three the company will get Rs 36.68 per km,while for cluster four and five,it will be given Rs 35.69 and Rs 34.79 per km.

“We have decided to award clusters two,three,four and five to the successful bidders who will have to start their service within the next six months. By then we will have a total of 914 buses in these five clusters. We will start the tendering process for the remaining clusters soon,” said Transport Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely.

“The operators will have to start the bus service within the stipulated period of six months or else we will confiscate the bank guarantee of nearly Rs 1 crore deposited by each operator,” the minister added.

The decision to approve the four cluster bus services comes just a week after the government set December 14 as the deadline for phasing out all Blueline buses. The new buses will have GPS systems and facilities like electronic display boards. It will also run as per a strict time schedule.