'Avg daily passengers count in DTC buses yet to reach pre-Covid levels'

The average daily count of passengers travelling in DTC buses declined from 33.31 lakh in 2019-20 to 25.02 lakh in 2022-23, while the corresponding figure for cluster buses fell from 17.71 lakh to 16.39 lakh, according to the Delhi Economic Survey 2023-24.

Finance Minister Atishi presented the Economic Survey in the Delhi Assembly on Friday. According to the survey, the average daily passenger count in Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses is yet to reach pre-pandemic figures.

The report showed that while the bus fleet in DTC has declined from 3,951 in 2017-18 to 3,937 in 2022-23, the cluster bus fleet has grown from 1,744 to 3,293.

According to the Economic Survey, the average daily number of passengers travelling in DTC buses stood at 29.86 lakh in 2017-18. It rose to 30.15 lakh in the next financial year and then to 33.31 lakh in the 2019-20 fiscal.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions imposed due to it, the figures fell to 12.24 lakh in 2020-21. In 2021-22, the figure stood at 15.62 lakh and in 2022-23, 25.02 lakh, it said.

The survey showed that the average daily passenger count for cluster buses was 11.65 lakh in 2017-18, 12.24 lakh in 2018-19 and 17.71 lakh in 2019-20.

The count stood at 8.51 lakh in 2020-21 and 9.87 lakh in 2021-22. In 2022-23, the figure was at 16.39, according to the survey.

During her address in the Delhi Assembly, Atishi said the government has achieved significant accomplishments in the transportation sector.

"Public transportation plays a crucial role in the development of any economy. In this regard, the Delhi government has strengthened its public transport system," she said.

"During 2022-23, the average daily passenger count was 25.02 lakh for DTC buses, 16.39 lakh for cluster buses, and 46 lakh for Delhi Metro. In total, more than 87 lakh passengers use our public transportation systems daily," Atishi said.

She said Delhi has a total of 7,582 buses in its fleet, including 1,650 electric ones.

"Delhi now has the world's third-largest fleet of electric buses, after Beijing and Santiago. Through the 'Pink Ticket' initiative, free bus travel has been provided to women. In the fiscal year 2022-23, Delhi women availed free bus travel through the 'Pink Ticket' a staggering 45.44 crore times," the minister added.

According to the Economic Survey, the DTC has incurred a loss of Rs 2,666.25 crore in 2023-24 so far, as compared to Rs 2,687.92 crore in 2022-23.

"Till the year 2010-11, the Delhi government used to meet the working losses of the DTC by providing them with a loan. From the year 2011-12, the system has been changed by providing them with grants, instead of a loan, to meet working losses," the report said.

During 2022-23, the Delhi government released an amount of Rs 200 crore to the DTC and Rs 200 crore to cluster buses to meet their expenditures on account of free travel for women.

The total number of motor vehicles on the road in Delhi on March 31, 2023, was 79.45 lakh, an increase of 0.34 per cent from 2021-22.

The Delhi government has banned diesel vehicles aged more than 10 years and petrol vehicles aged over 15. The number of deregistered vehicles was 62,59,214 (62.59 lakh) till 2022-23.

Delhi is a hub for personal motorised vehicles in India, the report said. The total number of motorised vehicles in Delhi is 79.45 lakh. Car and jeeps account for around 26 per cent of the total registered motorised vehicles, whereas two-wheelers account for about 66.64 per cent.

During 2022-23, the number of vehicles per thousand population is 473 (as per Census 2011), the report showed, adding that the corresponding figure for 2021-22 was 472.

The actual number of vehicles plying on Delhi's roads may not be the same as the number of vehicles registered in Delhi since vehicles registered in Delhi are plying in NCR areas and vice-versa, it said.

The transport department is making efforts to estimate the actual number of vehicles in Delhi, the report added.