BRT expansion can wait, says Shiela

Ignoring widespread criticism of the BRT, Delhi government rules out scrapping of the controversial project but decides to put on hold its expansion.

Ignoring widespread criticism of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Delhi government on Saturday ruled out scrapping of the controversial project but decided to put on hold its expansion.

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After a high-level meeting called by her to review the project in the wake of public anger, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit claimed that there has been improvement over the last few days in the functioning of the new transport system that was launched on April 20.

"With change, there are bound to be some difficulties. We are not going to scrap it," Dikshit told reporters about the 5.8 km long BRT corridor from Ambedkar Nagar to Moolchand in South Delhi, which is a pilot project aimed at streamlining traffic in the national capital.

She, however, said the government will not go in for expansion of the project which envisages five more corridors "till we do not make this corridor perfect."

The meeting was called amid widespread anger and demands that the project be scrapped as it has created traffic chaos, including confusion and jams.

The meeting was attended by Transport Minister Haroon Yusuf, Transport Commissioner R K Verma, representatives of Delhi Integrated Multimodal Transit System (DIMTS), which is the implementing agency, and BRT experts.