Delhi Govt to ask High Court more time to augment bus fleet

New Delhi, Aug 24 (UNI) The Delhi Government will ask the Delhi High Court for more time to augment the bus fleet in the city, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today said.

Addressing reporters after a meeting with state Transport Minister Haroon Yousuf in wake of the Delhi High Court yesterday asking the Delhi Government to augment the fleet of buses within three months, the Chief Minister said,''we are committed to obey orders of the High Court. However, getting so many buses in such a short time may not be possible.'' Reiterating her government's resolve to phase out the killer blueline buses, the Chief Minister said,''the process will, however, take some time.'' Stating that the state government had already placed orders for 625 new buses which would be on roads in the next few months, Ms Dikshit said,''only about 70 to 80 new buses can be brought on the roads every month. So getting nearly 3000 buses on the roads within three months is not possible.'' She said a tender for buying the rest of the 2,375 buses would be issued by the state government soon. Tenders will be issued in two phases.

A division bench of the Delhi High Court comprising Justices Mukul Mudgal and Reva Khetrapal yesterday asked the government to augment the fleet of buses within three months.

The bench observed that the deadline could not be extended more than twice, if the need arose.

Although the blueline buses will have to be replaced by 2012, the court showed urgency over how to help commuters left stranded on the road. The court wanted the gaps to be plugged quickly. The depleted strength of the fleet needed to be replenished within three months, the bench added.

UNI