DTC may start bus services at 4am on specific routes

The official said additional buses were likely to be deployed on important corridors connecting residential areas with railway stations and hospitals.

The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) is likely to start additional bus services at 4am on select routes, officials aware of the matter said on Saturday, citing instructions from lieutenant governor (LG) Taranjit Singh Sandhu in this regard.

Officials said the move is intended to benefit a wide group of people, such as airport and railway passengers, industrial workers, healthcare staff, security personnel, and domestic workers. (HT archive)

To be sure, the DTC already operates early morning and late night services. The bus service from Bhajanpura to Noida Sector 43 starts at 4.45 am, and the bus service from Bhajanpura to Anand Vihar ISBT begins at 6.50am, among others.

“However, the latest initiative aims to increase the availability of buses during the pre-dawn hours to cater to commuters who begin their journeys well before regular office timings. The plan is to have buses starting from 4am. These will also cater to women commuters who have to drop off their children early morning at school,” an official, who did not wish to be named, said.

Sandhu, during a meeting with the Delhi transport commissioner and Delhi Police commissioner, asked the former to identify routes on which services can be expanded. “There is also a plan to deploy armed women police personnel on buses for safety of women commuters. With their deployment, women will have more confidence in travelling on buses during the early morning hours,” the official said.

Officials said the move is intended to benefit a wide group of people, such as airport and railway passengers, industrial workers, healthcare staff, security personnel, and domestic workers.

The LG has also directed to strengthen bus services between 4 pm to 10 pm for working women. According to officials, the government is already planning to deploy 25 additional buses for women and 25 U-Specials for female students.

Government officials said that discussions will be held next week on the directions as the government is expected to receive additional buses under the PM E-drive scheme in the next few months, and the some of them could be deployed on the morning routes.

The DTC has been asked to identify routes, the official said, adding that additional buses were likely to be deployed on important corridors connecting residential areas with railway stations, interstate bus terminals, hospitals, industrial hubs and major employment centres.

Officials said route demand and operational feasibility are being assessed before finalising the expansion plan. Details regarding the routes, frequency of services and implementation schedule are expected to be finalised after consultations with DTC and other stakeholders.

The proposed expansion is also expected to encourage greater use of public transport and reduce dependence on private vehicles and expensive app-based cab services during the early morning hours, officials said.

The Delhi Transport Corporation has a fleet of 6,323 buses, including 4,680 electric ones.