Two weeks before the second phase of its flagship odd-even scheme kicks off, the AAP government allocated a major portion of budget funds to transport and road infrastructure, to encourage measures to curb pollution in Delhi and decongest its roads. “I propose a plan outlay of Rs 1,735 crore for enhancement of public transport, which is 8.4 percent of the total plan outlay in 2016-17 and Rs 2,208 crore for road infrastructure, which is 11 per cent of the total plan outlay in 2016-17,” said Finance Minister Manish Sisodia. To introduce an efficient public transport system — imperative for the success of its vehicle rationing scheme — the government has proposed a “plan outlay of Rs 325 crore to purchase 3,000 new buses and develop bus terminals”. [related-post] “The government is acutely concerned about the environmental pollution in Delhi. We are constantly monitoring the pollution levels on a real-time basis and we are planning to increase the six Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations to nine. Also, one Mobile Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Van will be procured,” said Sisodia. He added, “The government will procure 1,000 new standard low-floor non-AC buses this year to add to the existing 4,461-bus DTC fleet. Another 1,000 buses will be hired under the cluster scheme to add to the 1490 cluster buses operational in Delhi. The government will also introduce 1,000 buses in the premium category through a purely market-driven model to encourage the financially well-off to use public transport”. The AAP government is also planning to develop bus depots at Rewla Khanpur, Dichaun Kalan, Karkari Nahar, Bawana Sector-1 and Dwarka Sector-22. The government also proposed the renovation and upgradation of ISBTs at Sarai Kale Khan and Anand Vihar, besides setting up a new terminus at Dwarka. In an effort to ease traffic congestion, the government is also thinking of “re-designing and street-scaping of 11 roads with a thrust on creating infrastructure for pedestrians/cyclists, physically challenged persons, besides a dedicated NMV lane (cycle track) and footpath on either side of Outer Ring Road from Vikaspuri to Wazirabad,” said Sisodia. The government is also focusing on e-rickshaws, environment-friendly vehicles, with plans to increase the existing subsidy granted to them from Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000.
