CM Arvind Kejriwal said the city now has a fleet of 7,200 buses (File)Delhi will have almost 12,000 buses in its fleet by December 2024, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said Wednesday.
A cabinet meeting was held Wednesday, after which Kejriwal said the government’s focus was now on bringing the national capital’s transport sector to international standards.
“Buses are the most important mode of travel in Delhi but buses were not bought for several years. In the past one and a half-two years, this has changed and we have bought many AC and electric buses. In the cabinet meeting today, permission was granted to buy 1,950 buses. They will start coming by August-September this year, and by next September, all of them will be on roads,” he said.
Delhi had hit roadblocks in buying buses for almost a decade due to fewer companies bidding and stringent annual maintenance contracts.
CM Arvind Kejriwal said the city now has a fleet of 7,200 buses.
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“This is the highest number of buses that Delhi has ever had. A tender for 4,800 more buses will also be placed. But some old buses will have to go off the roads. All in all, our target is to have a fleet of 11,910 buses, which is adequate for the city,” he said.
Several buses running on Delhi roads are over age, and there are frequent reports of breakdowns. The permission to run these buses was granted as the fleet size fell drastically. He also said the government’s aim is to improve services, and integrate taxis, Metro and buses for a more comfortable travel experience.
Urban farming
Another decision taken in the meeting was to start workshops to teach people about urban farming – both for personal consumption and for starting small businesses from home.
“In the budget, we had announced that we will promote urban farming. We will teach small-scale farming to those with space on balconies and terraces. We will give them some seeds and other help. There are two sectors – those who want to grow fruits and vegetables for their own consumption, and those who want to start small businesses. We are hiring experts and tying up with the Indian Agricultural Research Institute for expertise. At the ward level, experts will hold workshops to train people on how to grow in your home for themselves. There will be 400 such workshops. Around 600 workshops will also be held for those who want to start small businesses,” he said.
He also said the scheme to provide free ration during Covid to those eligible has been extended and will continue till September 30.
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