After 35 Years, Double-Decker Buses to Return on Delhi Roads for Pilot Run

After 35 years, double-decker buses are planning to return to Delhi's roads once again. Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) is preparing a pilot run to see how safe and effective double-decker buses can prove to be on the roads of the capital.

DTC is preparing a pilot project to test the feasibility of running double-decker buses in the capital. According to media reports, at least two senior officials aware of the government's plan on this matter said.

Ashok Leyland has built an electric double-decker bus under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, which is currently parked at the Okhla depot. Soon, it will be put on trial runs on select routes.

Transport Minister Pankaj Singh confirmed on Friday that the government is investigating whether the buses can be operated safely and effectively in the city. He said that at present one bus is available and two more are likely to be available, but they have not been brought into operation yet.

He said that the officers are preparing the route map and checking how easy or difficult it will be to run these buses in Delhi traffic. For this, the height of trees, clearance of flyovers, and overbridges are also being looked at.

The new double-decker bus is 9.8 meters long and 4.75 meters high. Apart from the driver, more than 63 passengers can sit in it. That is, it can carry about three times more passengers than a normal DTC bus. However, the high height and weight of the bus is still the biggest challenge.

According to officials, buses cannot be run on routes where trees are small, wires are hanging, or the height of the flyover is low. Since these are electric buses and weigh more, initially, they will be tested on short routes so that the battery performance can also be understood.

According to Amit Bhatt, Managing Director of International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) India, it is very important to strengthen public transport in a big city like Delhi. Electric double-decker buses are a good step, but their success will depend on route selection. Passengers may hesitate to get on and off in short trips, but this option can be better for long distances.

Double-decker buses were once known as "Suvidha Bus" in Delhi. But they had to be removed in 1989 when DTC shifted to a CNG fleet.

After this, an attempt was made to bring them back before the 2010 Commonwealth Games and 2022 G20 Summit, but these plans failed in the study. In 2011, the idea of ​​​​including them in the "Hop On Hop Off (HoHo)" service on tourist routes was also put forward. But that too was not very successful.

At present, more than 3,500 electric buses are running in Delhi, and this number is expected to cross 6,000 by the end of the year. Apart from this, two new tourist circuit buses named "Delhi Darshan" will also be launched soon, apart from the double-decker trial run.