Delhi Metro feeder electric buses procurement file stuck with Delhi Govt

New Delhi (Urban Transport News): The Central Government has recently asked the Delhi government to "expedite" its approval for procurement of metro feeder electric buses for Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). To ensure last-mile connectivity in the national capital region, DMRC had sent a proposal for procurement of 427 metro feeder electric buses to Delhi Government in the beginning of this year.

Sources said that Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has written a letter to Delhi government Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Dev, requesting him to intervene in this "important issue". He said that provision of a good feeder service towards last-mile connectivity improves model shift from private transport to mass rapid transit systems like the metro rail. In his letter, he said that DMRC has informed the Ministry that it has submitted the proposal for providing Viability Gap Funding (VGF) for procurement of 427 electric feeder buses to Government of Delhi in January, 2018.

In his letter Mishra further said that the issue has been flagged by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) with the State Transport Authority (STA) on numerous occasions and they have provided all necessary clarification and details. STA and GNCTD has agreed in-principle to support the proposal.

I request you (chief secretary) to kindly intervene in this important issue and expedite approval of GNCTD on VGF proposal of DMRC for procurement of electric buses for last-mile connectivity.

DMRC has invited tenders for procurement of buses in anticipation of VGF approval from GNCTD. Tenders for East, West, South and Central clusters are held up for want of VGF approval from GNCTD. The tenders for North cluster for Shastri Park has been floated.

Mishra further said that there are challenges in Delhi which needs to be addressed squarely to provide easy accessibility to commuters.