Delhi govt orders withdrawal of 350 DTC buses provided to private schools
However, schools with special circumstances, such as private buses engaged in schools for children with disabilities, will not be called back, as per sources
PremiumAmid the growing demand for more buses for public transport in the city, the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has decided to withdraw the 350 buses it had provided to various private schools in the national capital.
It has also decided not to provide more buses to private schools in the city from the new academic session.
This decision has been taken in view of the insufficient number of buses in the DTC fleet.
The DTC officials have been ordered by the Delhi Government to include the 350 DTC buses running in various private schools back in the DTC fleet.
Presently, out of the buses engaged in the work of transporting children of private schools, about 10 buses will still continue to serve.
Private schools with special circumstances, such as private buses engaged in schools for children with disabilities, will not be called back, said sources.
In September 2021 itself, the Delhi government had informed private schools that DTC buses would be removed from the service of schools and therefore schools should make alternative arrangements for buses, said a DTC official.
In January 2022, DTC also sent a reminder regarding this. After that, the matter went to court.
In April 2022, the association of some private schools and parents went to the Delhi High Court regarding this matter, the matter is still in the court, but in the meantime, the Delhi Government has ordered the withdrawal of the DTC buses installed in private schools.
Meanwhile, the DTC recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for the development of land parcels and bus terminals in the national capital.
In the first phase of the project, land parcels and bus terminals at Nehru Place, Najafgarh, Azadpur, Mehrauli and Narela have been identified jointly by DTC and DMRC for development.
The agreement provides flexibility to take up work under one of the suitable models among Public Private Partnership (PPP), Property Business (PB) and Deposit Work basis according to existing urban development bylaws, instructions, regulations, and Master Plan of Delhi (MPD-2021), the Delhi government said in a statement.
As per the MoU, DMRC would be implementing these projects from conceptualisation till commissioning and would be rendering all the services including pre-constructional activities such as the development of preliminary plans, preparation of preliminary estimates, construction activities such as approval of design of drawing of the layout plan, tendering and execution of work.
The scope of work would also include post-constructional activities such as obtaining completion certificates from local bodies and facilitation of handing over of the project on completion.
Empowered Committee headed by Chairman (DTC) and comprising two members each from DTC and DMRC would monitor the implementation of the Project and accord necessary approval for design, change in designs, estimates, deviations, escalation, imposition of penalties on the contractor, if any, etc.
The Empowered Committee will also review the financial status of the project on a quarterly basis or as desired by the Chairman of the Empowered Committee.
The Empowered Committee will be formulated within 15 days from the date of signing of this MoU, the statement said.
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