DTC’s plan to get 1,000 new buses HAS run off road

Delhi Transport Corporation's plan to add 1,000 semi-low-floor buses to its fleet before the Commonwealth Games 2010 has derailed.

Delhi Transport Corporation's plan to add 1,000 semi-low-floor buses to its fleet before the Commonwealth Games 2010 has derailed.

HT Image

Senior DTC officials said the two main bus manufactures—Ashok Leyland and Tata Motors —have quoted exorbitant prices, forcing the government to reconsider its decision of buying the buses.

While Ashok Leyland has asked Rs 52 lakh for air-conditioned semi-low-floor buses and Rs 47 lakh for the non-air-conditioned ones, Tata Motors have Rs 67 lakh and 57 lakh respectively.

DTC is acquiring low-floor air-conditioned buses at Rs 59.3 crore and non air-conditioned buses for Rs 49.9 lakh.

When the two manufacturers missed the deadline of supplying 3,125 low-floor buses, the Delhi cabinet on June 1, 2009
cleared the proposal to buy 1000 semi-low floor buses, which are more easily available in market than the low-floor buses.

“But the price these two companies have quoted is almost equal to that of low-floor buses. Our deliberations with these two companies to bring down the price have also failed,” said a senior DTC official on condition of anonymity, fearing reprisal.

“We asked the government to suggest the way out and the government has advised us to scrap the order.”

It is still not clear whether DFTC will place a fresh order the low-floor buses in place of the semi-low-floor ones.