Courteous staff add to the world-class bus experience
11 Jun 2008, 0210 hrs IST, Megha Suri,TNN
NEW DELHI: The changing face of public transport is all set to change the way Delhi travels. Small cars are passe, it's the age of the AC buses. Says transport commissioner R K Verma, "We are looking at a completely world class public transport network and that experience cannot be complete with indifferent or unhelpful staff. We have trained all drivers and conductors of the low-floor buses and are planning to extend the programme to staff in all buses." Delhi Metro has also put in a clause about positive feedback being an essential service condition of the private company running the feeder buses. It will also have provision for installation of a smart-card based ticketing system. Though a decision on fares of these buses is pending, they could be a bit higher than what commuters are paying at present. The 300 AC buses that DMRC is about to procure, will run on feeder routes connecting metro stations to nearby localities. This means that all but 119 of the Metro feeder bus fleet will be AC. DTC is procuring 525 low-floor buses in the first lot of which 25 will be AC. It has already received 250-odd non-AC buses and 8 AC buses. The Delhi Metro AC buses will all be 24-28 seaters and like the rest of the public transport in the city, will run on CNG. In the tender, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has specified that the bidder should have at least three years experience of manufacturing buses or providing after sales. Further, the manufacturing unit where the buses will be produced must have a ISO:9001 certification and supplied at least 300 buses in any part of the world in the past two years. "We wanted to raise the levels of the feeder bus service to make it comparable to the world class experience that our trains provide. So a decision was taken to provide people better service in the form of airconditioned buses. The last date for accepting bids is July 31," said Anuj Dayal, DMRC's chief spokesperson. DMRC has got a permit from the State Transport Authority to run 419 feeder buses on 36 pre-identified routes. An order for 120 buses was placed by DMRC last year, of which 93 buses are already operational. The remaining are expected by June end. But, even as these buses are not airconditioned, they have proved to be a big hit. DMRC has been flooded with requests from resident welfare associations (RWAs) and individuals asking for feeder routes covering their areas of residence.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Encroachments in S Delhi area: HC seeks report12 Jun 2008, 0341 hrs IST,TNN
Encroachments in S Delhi area: HC seeks report12 Jun 2008, 0341 hrs IST,TNN
NEW DELHI: Acting on a complaint by residents of Siddhartha Extension, alleging encroachments in their area, Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought a status report from the DDA. A division bench of Justice S N Aggarwal and Justice Sunil Gaur asked the civic agency to furnish a detailed report about the actions taken to check encroachments in this area of south Delhi. In their complaint to HC, the joint forum of residents of the area stated DDA was not taking adequate steps to check encroachment, despite repeated court directives. The forum claimed illegal constructions have come up in the locality, which included a mazar and pillars around it. The division bench was also informed by the counsel representing the residents that even though the civic agency had passed a demolition order on June 2, 2004 it had still not enforced it. The lawyer drew HC’s attention to its order dated October 24, 2007 asking the DDA to remove all encroachment and make a boundary wall to protect the land in question. DDA was also ordered to convert the recovered land into a green area, but the agency dragged its feet, the lawyer alleged. ‘‘208 families living in the DDA’s HIG flats are facing various difficulties because of the encroachments,’’ the lawyer added, after which the bench gave DDA time till July 18, to file its comprehensive response to rebut the allegations.
NEW DELHI: Acting on a complaint by residents of Siddhartha Extension, alleging encroachments in their area, Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought a status report from the DDA. A division bench of Justice S N Aggarwal and Justice Sunil Gaur asked the civic agency to furnish a detailed report about the actions taken to check encroachments in this area of south Delhi. In their complaint to HC, the joint forum of residents of the area stated DDA was not taking adequate steps to check encroachment, despite repeated court directives. The forum claimed illegal constructions have come up in the locality, which included a mazar and pillars around it. The division bench was also informed by the counsel representing the residents that even though the civic agency had passed a demolition order on June 2, 2004 it had still not enforced it. The lawyer drew HC’s attention to its order dated October 24, 2007 asking the DDA to remove all encroachment and make a boundary wall to protect the land in question. DDA was also ordered to convert the recovered land into a green area, but the agency dragged its feet, the lawyer alleged. ‘‘208 families living in the DDA’s HIG flats are facing various difficulties because of the encroachments,’’ the lawyer added, after which the bench gave DDA time till July 18, to file its comprehensive response to rebut the allegations.
DIMTS wants help — at an extra cost of Rs 1 cr
DIMTS wants help — at an extra cost of Rs 1 cr
AanchalBansal
Posted online: Friday , June 13, 2008 at 11:53:06
New Delhi, June 12
Nine months after it was hired to phase out the Bluelines in the city, the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) now says it needs “additional consultancy”.
Pointing out that the work has increased in scope and magnitude, the DIMTS has proposed hiring a foreign consultant to carry out the bidding of the 17 cluster routes. And for it, the agency has demanded an extra Rs 1 crore —which the Delhi government has so far refused to pay.
With the matter being closely monitored by the High Court, even the finance department has raised eyebrows over this additional expenditure.
In a directive to DIMTS, the Sheila Dikshit government has asked the agency to submit a detailed time schedule and progress report of the process before the next hearing on July 10.
The government had hired DIMTS as a consultant in August 2007 at a fee of Rs 45 lakh. The body was to provide a broad framework and carry out the bidding for corporates and cooperative societies — the idea was to get rid of the bus mafia operating Bluelines.
But on May 23, DIMTS arranged a presentation by a London-based international consultancy firm in Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta’s office, in which various bid parameters were discussed. In its letter to DIMTS, the Delhi government has categorically informed the agency that any such decision will be taken only after a consensus between the government’s departments.
“The finance department said if a consultant is hired, the transport department will have to justify the expenditure to the audit department,” said an official. “It was recommended that instead of paying out a lumpsum amount, the transport department sanction the money to DIMTS as and when required.” In this regard, the finance department has also advised that the transport department follow the working method of the Karnataka and Uttarakhand model.
The DIMTS Managing Director, SN Sahai, claimed that the agency has the authority to outsource work and hire a consultant if it needs. “The scope of work has gone beyond what is was when the project was handed over to us so we are simply outsourcing work. The bidding for the first cluster is underway and these things take time as it is the first time something like this is being undertaken,” he said.
AanchalBansal
Posted online: Friday , June 13, 2008 at 11:53:06
New Delhi, June 12
Nine months after it was hired to phase out the Bluelines in the city, the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) now says it needs “additional consultancy”.
Pointing out that the work has increased in scope and magnitude, the DIMTS has proposed hiring a foreign consultant to carry out the bidding of the 17 cluster routes. And for it, the agency has demanded an extra Rs 1 crore —which the Delhi government has so far refused to pay.
With the matter being closely monitored by the High Court, even the finance department has raised eyebrows over this additional expenditure.
In a directive to DIMTS, the Sheila Dikshit government has asked the agency to submit a detailed time schedule and progress report of the process before the next hearing on July 10.
The government had hired DIMTS as a consultant in August 2007 at a fee of Rs 45 lakh. The body was to provide a broad framework and carry out the bidding for corporates and cooperative societies — the idea was to get rid of the bus mafia operating Bluelines.
But on May 23, DIMTS arranged a presentation by a London-based international consultancy firm in Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta’s office, in which various bid parameters were discussed. In its letter to DIMTS, the Delhi government has categorically informed the agency that any such decision will be taken only after a consensus between the government’s departments.
“The finance department said if a consultant is hired, the transport department will have to justify the expenditure to the audit department,” said an official. “It was recommended that instead of paying out a lumpsum amount, the transport department sanction the money to DIMTS as and when required.” In this regard, the finance department has also advised that the transport department follow the working method of the Karnataka and Uttarakhand model.
The DIMTS Managing Director, SN Sahai, claimed that the agency has the authority to outsource work and hire a consultant if it needs. “The scope of work has gone beyond what is was when the project was handed over to us so we are simply outsourcing work. The bidding for the first cluster is underway and these things take time as it is the first time something like this is being undertaken,” he said.
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