More buses may ply under the bus cluster scheme by early next year. The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has agreed to provide land for four depots to the Transport department. The lack of space for depots had led to a delay in launching the cluster scheme. The Transport department is also looking at constructing multi-storeyed depots in the city to ensure maximum usage of depot space. Two areas have been identified in Rohini while the other two depots will come up in Ghazipur and Dwarka. This land will be handed over by DDA. We are also looking at constructing multi-storeyed depots in the city as it is getting increasingly difficult to identify land for construction of depots. A feasibility study will be carried out to see if this is a viable option, said a Transport department official. The consultant will also be asked to assess whether these depots can be used for commercial purposes to ensure that it is a financially sustainable mode. Constructing depots under the public-private partnership model is an expensive exercise costing Rs 500 crore and above. So we need to ensure that it generates enough funds to sustain it in the long run, added the official. The Transport department is also looking at developing multi-storeyed structures in the existing depots in Vasant Vihar and Sarojini Nagar. We want to ensure maximum utilisation of land available with us, added the official. According to officials,depots cannot be located outside the city as it will lead to dead miles as the bus will not ferry any passengers during the trip from the depot to the bus stop. We need depots within the city,which is becoming increasingly difficult. Which is why we have mooted the idea of multi-storeyed depots as we need six acres of land for around 1,000 buses to be parked there, said the official. In 2009,the Delhi government had divided nearly 650 bus routes across the city into 17 clusters.The cluster bus service was introduced to replace the killer Blueline fleet. In total,11,000 buses are to operate in the city with a sharing ratio of 40% and 60% between DTC and DIMTS,respectively. At present,165 buses are plying under the cluster scheme. Sunehari and Kushak nallah parking will also be handed over to us soon. So,more buses will be introduced early next year, said a DIMTS official.
