IMPROVING DTC BUS TERMINALS
I many times travel in DTC buses and visit many areas, chat with passengers etc. During my visits to some of the terminals I find the condition is too bad and these are not worth a terminal. Even a village terminal may be better and these are in the very center of the city. Take for example the condition of Nehru Place Terminal which is worst. There is no proper metalling of inside roads, foot paths and totally damaged. As a result, lot of dust is emanated by running buses and passengers standing there have to inhale it at the risk of getting bronchitis problems. One cannot walk safely on terminal foot paths as these are all damaged. There is no proper public announcement system. There no proper waiting hall space for passengers. There is no proper toilet facility. Due to this, passengers have to urinate in the open in front of the walls in full public view and create unhealthy environment due to nauseating smell. Same is the condition with many other Terminals like Mori Gate, Sarai Kale Khan, Uttam Nagar etc. I sent an email to DTC but with no effect for the last three months. If DTC cannot maintain its terminals, it should better handover to private parties including Delhi Tourism on auction basis and earn good money. They can be required to provide these facilities and maintain them properly and allowed to open healthy eatery shops for their sustenance. In this way, passengers will have better facilities and amenities. Undoubtedly, this will enable DTC to increase and improve its operations in a much better way and earn good will of the people too. more
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Thanks Mr. Jain. I appreciate your views and suggestions. In fact, I love to travel in DTC buses despite having two cars and other facilities, just to visit various areas, see for myself public services, get good opportunity to talk to people. In fact, i find traveling in DTC buses has now a days become more comfortable and enjoyable with new fleet of buses which are generally not crowded and have, of late, become little punctual too despite traffic jams on certain roads. I also visit public urinals at different places, of course, for my own requirement too, and find some toilets especially constructed by MCD, are comparatively worst. There is no proper drainage system, no flowing water, running water tap for washing hands, nauseating smell of urination emanates all around, filth spread outside them which are a serious health hazard. But compared with that toilets (free of cost) provided by Delhi Tourism at Sarai Kale Khan DTC bus stop and some privately operated toilets (paid) at many places are, of course, excellent. I am constantly complaining to MCD through their channel but have still to see any action. I feel if all like minded people like you join together, by improving public transport system and other public services with our efforts through such mediums or directly with the authorities, I think we can do a lot. By improving and enriching public transport system, we can at the same time, to a great extent, help in solving the burning problem of traffic congestion/jams. We may perhaps have to think of sending a join petition to DTC/LG, Delhi/Ministry of Transport with all the problems with concrete suggestions for its improvement with ultimate objective of solving traffic congestion problem too. more
Feb 18
I think you have raised a very pertinent issue. I believe DTC did try to take up redevelopment of its terminal near Pragati Maidan recently, using public private partnership, but the attempt probably did not go very far. The problem is the unfortunate mindset that exists in our country that only poor /lower middle class people use public buses. While focussing on metro projects is good, the need to improve bus services cannot be ignored. When one talks of bus service, the typical response of the Govt. is to merely try and increase the number of buses that ply, while challenges at the existing assets remain untackled. Apart from introducing the red / airconditioned buses, not many good initiatives have been heard recently. DTC used to be loss making till recently; according to newspaper reports, that situation may have changed in the last couple of years, which is good. In any case, with JNNURM being around, money should not be a problem. Modernisation of bus terminals would go a long way in attracting more commuters and decongest the already clogged roads. Regrettably, even newspapers (always more interested in covering controversies such as the BRT) do not ever highlight genuine issues of such importance to all citizens. more
Feb 17
