It’s a rough ride for the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC). Suffering increasing breakdowns of the new low floor buses and the old buses owing to poor maintance, its experience with designating the maintenance of low floor buses to private companies is leaving a sour taste in its mouth.
Running into losses, the DTC is forced to run its old buses. Also, its plans to phase out the old buses are getting delayed. With more than 18,830 buses breaking down in September alone, doubts are being raised on DTC’s maintenance standards. In September, an average of 627 buses out of a total fleet of 5700 were out of action, but the highest number of breakdown in one day was recorded on September 10, when 782 buses went non-operational, that is effectively, 1/7th of the total fleet of DTC. The numbers of breakdowns were ever higher during August, the total number of breakdowns —18,846, and on August 21, an astounding 814 buses broke down.
In July, the monthly breakdown figure touched a high of 19,061, with 789 buses breaking down on July 19. In June the monthly breakdown figure was ever higher at 19,239, with the breakdown figure of 847 being recorded on June 1. During May, the breakdown figure touched an all time high of 21,595, with 950 buses or close to 1/6th of the fleet not in operation on May 30.
The reasons for bus breakdowns range from simple tyre punctures to engine problems. Others issues like leakage of oil, clutch problems also stall buses. On the accident front, DTC buses were behind eight fatal accidents in September, five in August and July. DTC has a total fleet of 5700 buses, out of which 3775 are of low floor type and 1825 the old rickety buses among others. Out of the 3775 low floor buses, 2500 are equipped with air conditioning and 1275 buses are non AC. While the maintenance of its old buses is undertaken by DTC, the low floor buses are maintained through an agreement between Tata, Ashok Leyland and DTC.
Till the running of the low floor buses for 75,000 km, DTC pays the private companies `4.50 paisa for maintenance, while post 75,000 km, the transport body pays `5 per km. DTC is also entitled to penalise the companies if they do not adhere to the maintenance standards mentioned in the contract between the transport bodies.
Rajiv Verma, chairman cum managing director of DTC said that the DTC faces problems owing to old buses, which need to be scrapped, but are being run.
“625 new buses are expected to be pressed into service soon. We are carrying repair works on the old buses so that their life can be extended by at least a year.” Verma said that the DTC is making efforts to improve the maintenance of its buses. Is the performance of private companies in bus maintenance satisfactory? He added, “There is always scope for improvement. We have a long way to go.” The old buses will be eventually phased out. DTC is losing as much as `30 per km in running the old buses.