The Delhi transport department is seeking suggestions from MLAs to determine the best routes for mohalla buses, which are 9-metre-long government vehicles designed to facilitate neighborhood connectivity in areas not well connected by the existing public fleet.
Several MLAs have submitted details of the courses that will be included in the mohalla bus routes, catering to the needs of people in the areas represented by Delhi assembly legislators. The chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, will try to accommodate the suggestions and finalize the routes in alignment with the MLAs’ suggestions.
The Mohalla Bus Scheme aims to deploy 9-metre-long electric buses for neighbourhood or feeder services, with a plan to introduce 2,180 such buses by 2025. The scheme focuses on areas with limited road width or record overcrowding and enhance last-mile connectivity. Currently, the government operates 100 buses acquired from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) with the goal of expanding this fleet to improve connectivity further.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Somnath Bharti said that mohalla buses should be an answer to the challenge of Metro stations being away from populated neighborhoods. The Delhi government is in the last phase of finalizing the mohalla bus scheme, with a team of 32 officials divided into four zones to understand the practical challenges of operating 9-metre mohalla buses on these routes.
The suggestions from the MLAs will be reviewed by the transport department when it finalizes the routes. In July, the transport department started a trial of mohalla bus services on two routes — Pradhan Enclave Pusta to Majlis Park Metro Station and Akshardham Metro Station to Mayur Vihar Phase-III Paper Market.
Get the latest news updates and stay informed with FELA NEWS!
Source: HT
