Delhi Budget 2017: Buses put in slow lane, autos rev up

In the last Budget, the Delhi government wanted to boost public transport by introducing 3,000 buses. This time, it seems it has dropped the ball altogether.

As against 8.4% of budgetary allocation last year, this time, transport has received 11%. For transport alone, Rs 3,056 crore has been earmarked while for the `transport and road infrastructure', the allocation is Rs 5,506 crore. But the government hasn't committed itself to getting more buses, other than adding a measly 736 buses to the cluster network and funding Phase IV of Delhi Metro.

The DTC bus fleet , which is down to 3,800 buses, needs force multipliers, while the cluster scheme got just 450 new buses last year against the target of 1,000.The new Budget, apart from the buses, promises Rs 100 crore to develop 11 depots.


Incidentally, the depots mentioned are mostly ongoing projects like the Rewla Khanpur, Dichuan Kalan, Karkari Nahar, Bawana Sector 1 and Dwarka Sector 22 depots. Others making it to the list are the ones in Bawana sector 5, Ram Khera-I, Rani Khera-II and III, Narela and East Vinod Nagar.

Professor P K Sarkar of School of Planning and Architecture said, “The city needs 16,000 buses for a balanced, healthy, sustainable transport system. But the total number of buses is around 5,000--less than 30% of the requirement.“

The Budget also talks about adding 10,000 new auto permits.The process was started earlier this year on Delhi high court orders. However, the number of autorickshaws in the city would remain below one lakh.

Electronic ticketing machines have also figured in the Budget.While ETMs have been installed in almost all the DTC and cluster buses, the system is yet to be integrated with the Delhi Metro ticket network, which would make a common card possible.

The allocation for Delhi Metro Phase IV is also higher at Rs 1,156 crore. The deadline for this phase is 2021.