Double-decker buses could return to Delhi roads

“The central government agency, Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL), has allocated 1,500 e-buses and 100 e-double decker buses to Delhi under the grand challenge. Following this, we recommended the same and sent the proposal to the Delhi government for approval and are planning a feasibility study,” said a senior DTC official.

The grand challenge is a scheme under which the Centre will assist state transport undertakings to procure electric buses for their respective fleets at competitive prices and with ease. Delhi has made a pitch for 1,500 electric buses under the scheme. On January 21, CESL had launched a tender worth Rs 5,500 crore to procure 5,580 electric buses, including 130 double-decker buses, for metros under the grand challenge scheme.

Last month, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced that the AAP government will soon deploy 1,500 electric buses, making the capital the first in the country to deploy e-buses on such a large scale.

“The CESL also intends to deploy double-decker buses in metros. Now, DTC has forwarded the proposal of double-decker buses to the Delhi government and the decision will be taken by the transport department,” said the official.

He said that over the decades, the road infrastructure has changed considerably in Delhi, and there are now several flyovers, underpasses, and congested lanes. Hence, a detailed survey and study is needed.
Delhi has not had double-decker buses since 1985-86, when the DTC used to be under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). In the 1970s-80s, such buses used to run under a ‘Suvidha’ service.

Another senior DTC official, however, said “flyovers, foot overbridges, underpasses and congested lanes” will make it difficult for double-decker buses to make a comeback. He also cited overhead electricity cables and the need for trees to be pruned. “It will require a lot of work,” he said.

For instance, when a double-decker used to run from Sarojini Nagar to Dev Nagar, there were no flyovers, while now there are foot overbridges and Metro pillars on the route. “It can ply on some selective stretches after careful study and tests, and also assessing whether such buses can climb flyovers at full capacity,” said the official.

Officials acknowledged that electric double-decker buses could help bolster the transport system by reducing congestion and pollution.

Transport Secretary and Commissioner Ashish Kundra said, “Tenders have already been floated for 1,500 e-buses, including double-decker buses, under CESL. The advantage of double-decker buses is that they can carry more passengers and the cost is not much. In some cities like Mumbai, they have experimented and have a history of double-decker buses, but in Delhi we don’t have it. We have low-floor buses, so we have to see how navigable they are and obviously, it needs to be tested as they can only ply on certain routes due to flyovers and stretches. Not all routes are feasible but they can run on certain select routes.”