Delhi: Spec changes, not slowdown, behind bus delivery delay, says Transport Minister

Of the 1,000 standard-floor buses being added to the cluster fleet, 600 are to be delivered by Ashok Leyland, and the rest by Tata Motors. So far, Leyland has delivered 50 buses, of which 25 have hit the roads.

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Around 320 buses were to enhance the cluster fleet by the end of October, before implementation of the free rides scheme for women in public buses and the odd-even drive. The cluster fleet currently stands at 1,704. (Representational Image)

Vehicle manufacturing company Ashok Leyland, which is supplying new buses to augment the capital’s cluster fleet, Monday said the delay in delivery was not due to an economic slowdown but rather changes in rear camera specifications as desired by the Delhi government.

Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot had earlier told The Indian Express that apart from CCTV specification-related issues, the economic slowdown was causing a delay in delivery of the buses, which has gone off track since September.

Of the 1,000 standard-floor buses being added to the cluster fleet, 600 are to be delivered by Ashok Leyland, and the rest by Tata Motors. So far, Leyland has delivered 50 buses, of which 25 have hit the roads.

However, no buses have been inducted in this series since Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal flagged off 25 buses in August.

In a written response, an Ashok Leyland spokesperson told The Indian Express, “We supplied 25 buses in August which were flagged off by CM Delhi. And another 25 buses were ready for delivery in August. There were some changes requested on September 4… related to the rear camera position, which entailed development of new wirings and components. The parts were

developed… and another 25 buses were delivered in September and first week of October. Another 75 buses will be given this month and we plan to deliver 125-150 buses per month thereafter. It has nothing to do with the slowdown.”

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Tata Motors did not respond to requests for a comment.

On the CCTV-related delay, Gahlot had said e-sims are to be mandatorily fitted in CCTVs in buses, pending which the buses will not be issued fitness and registration certificates. However, he had added that those issues have already been sorted and the slowdown was behind the delay, which he said might prompt the government to impose penalties on the companies.

Meanwhile, the government has signed agreements with two concessionaries for 400 low-floor AC cluster buses. An agreement for 250 more buses of similar specifications is pending as under the proposal, 650 low-floor AC buses are to be inducted.