Delhi's BRT Corridor to stay; expansion put on hold (lead: BRT)

New Delhi, Apr.26 : The Delhi Government today ruled out the scrapping of the controversial Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, but said that it has decided to put its expansion on hold.

The decision was taken after a high-level meeting called by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to review the project in the wake of public anger against it.

Dikshit claimed that there has been an improvement over the last few days in the functioning of the new transport system that was launched on April 20.

"With change, there are bound to be some difficulties... We are not going to scrap it," Dikshit told reporters about the 5.8 km long BRT corridor from Ambedkar Nagar to Moolchand in South Delhi, which is a pilot project aimed at streamlining traffic in the national capital.

The e government, she said, would not expand the project which envisages five more corridors till the inaugural one passes muster.

The meeting was called amid widespread anger and demands that the project be scrapped as it has created traffic chaos, including confusion and jams. Saturday's meeting was attended by Transport Minister Haroon Yusuf, Transport Commissioner R K Verma, representatives of Delhi Integrated Multimodal Transit System (DIMTS), which is the implementing agency, and BRT experts.

Earlier there were reports that a section within the ruling Congress party was also against the project. Work has been stopped on extending the current BRT project upto Delhi Gate, and plans are now focussed on creating appropriate intersections.

Delhi's Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta has reportedly sent out a strong message to all involved parties to remove existing glitches and ensure that the stand alone corridor operates effectively.

In an effort to make the corridor work, the Department of Transport has already banned the entry of light commercial vehicles during peak hours, removed bottlenecks near the crowded Chirag Delhi area and opened an alternate route along the Outer Ring Road to decongest the stretch.

Roads will also be widened at key crossings.

ANI