The Delhi Transport Corporation has 4,500 buses running in Delhi. (AP photo)
The AAP government's
ambitious plan of allowing every car in Delhi to run only on alternate days from January 1, and strengthening the public transport system as an alternative, has already run into a wall. Agencies that run public transport in Delhi have said the deadline set by the government is impossible to meet.
Sources in the Delhi Transport Corporation -- that manages the capital's public fleet of 4500 buses -- told NDTV, increasing the numbers within weeks "is impossible." Adding buses to the fleet requires a process that takes up to six months, they said. More than 90 per cent of the fleet is already operational. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said this evening his government plans to run 10000 buses on Delhi's roads. "Many things need to be worked out yet," he said.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation takes two to three months get extra coaches for one train, sources in the agency said. Delhi currently employs five drivers for every two buses it runs. Sources say even with these driver working overtime and cutting down on off days, there will be severe manpower shortages to deal with.
Augmenting the city's public transport in the short term and the both in short and long term, is the only solution, Delhi Dialogue Commission Vice Chairman Ashish Khaitan told NDTV.
He said the commission is speaking with the DMRC, DTC and auto rickshaw unions. The government plans to roll-out the plan as a 15-day pilot project during which cars with either odd or even numbers will be allowed to run each day.
"We have to ensure that in those 15 days, there is sufficient number of buses making sufficient trips," he said. Mr Khaitan said he does not have the exact numbers (of extra buses and metro coaches needed) yet.
The Delhi Traffic Police is faced with the issue of how to challan drivers violating the even/odd rule during rush hour. As a rule, the police avoid that to prevent causing congestion.