Delhi: Kashmere Gate ISBT to get automated bus management system

The new software-based system will automatically allot bus bays to waiting buses and will charge them fines if they overstay in bays

The transport department has started work on implementing an automated bus bay management system at the Interstate Bus Terminal (ISBT) at Kashmere Gate, officials aware of the matter said on Friday.

Buses outside Kashmere Gate ISBT. (PTI)

The new software-based system will automatically allot bus bays to waiting buses and will charge them fines if they overstay in their allotted bays, officials added. It will also have an integrated passenger information system that will help travellers by displaying information regarding the schedule of buses, expected time of arrival, delays and details of bus operators.

“Screens will display information regarding buses that will be updated regularly, similar to airports. An operator is being appointed to install, operate and maintain the system for the next five years. If it is successful, a similar setup will be done at the other ISBTs as well,” said an official.

Kashmere Gate ISBT receives more than 2,600 buses every day at its 60 bus bays and has a turnaround time of 30 minutes now. The buses coming to Kashmere Gate include 1,300 interstate buses, 1,200 DTC and cluster buses and nearly a hundred All India Tourist Permit (AITP) buses. Delhi has three ISBTs — Kashmere Gate, Anand Vihar, and Sarai Kale Khan.

“Most buses have started following timelines since FASTag was made mandatory. This makes the schedules more reliable. Also clears the bays for allowing more buses. The intelligent system will further help with allocation of bays to waiting buses so that they can also avoid crowding outside and reach only when a bus bay has been allotted,” said the official.

In September last year, the transport department found that the underuse of ISBTs was because of rate differences between government and private buses, poor management of parking bays, bus staff using terminals as resting places and systemic issues like staggered circulation due to extended turnaround time, which in turn resulted in traffic gridlock outside ISBTs.

The lieutenant governor (LG) later ordered that parking rates be made similar for government and private buses and overstaying buses be penalised. The LG had suggested multiple measures at the Maharana Pratap ISBT at Kashmere Gate including increasing parking rates, allowing only FAStag-based buses to halt and reducing stop time of interstate buses to ensure that bus queues inside as well as outside the depot can be reduced.

The department is now also trying to expedite the proposal to create a new ISBT at Tikri border that can help reduce the load of Kashmere Gate ISBT by handling most of the buses coming to Delhi from Haryana.