Expert panel put in place to build 1,400 Delhi bus shelters

The Delhi Government’s dream of building 1,400 bus shelters across the city finally appears to have fructified as the Transport Department has set up an 'expert committee' to work on shelter construction and float the tender soon.

There are five members in the expert committee from all the concerned authorities who are preparing final report and points before giving a call to the bids. Further, the department is also planning to cut down the design cost of the bus shelters, so the bidders may come forward.

“We are preparing the reports and also this time we are planning to reduce the cost budget to attract more bidders. Last time, bidders did not show much interest due to which the project is getting delayed. But this time, we are making it more flexible and will float tender in the coming two weeks,” said a member from the committee.

Bus shelters in the national Capital were last built in 2010 during the congress reign. Around 1,500 stops were developed and modernised. After that, in the year 2013 and 2014, the Aam Aadmi party (AAP) ruled Delhi Government floated tender but failed to attract the bidders. After that again in 2015, it announced to build 1,200 stainless bus stops across city but the bidders did not shown much interest in the project.

Bus shelters are more required in the outer area especially in the village side such as Nazafgarh, Burari, Narela, Mundka, Kanjhawala and others. “Bus shelters are required in many places and many times we get request from people, Resident Welfare association and MLA offices to provide bus shelters. Further, we are also identifying places where shelters are needed and where the shelters in bad condition,” said a senior official from Delhi Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (DTIDC).

Further, the government is mulling over to create 'Rural Hubs' to improve the bus connectivity from village to city.