Free rides on odd-even week: DTC to lose Rs 9.5 cr

New Delhi: The Delhi government’s decision to allow free rides on DTC buses during the five days of the odd-even scheme in the city could lead to losses of about Rs 9.5 crore, officials said today.

Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot has announced that the Delhi government will allow free travel for commuters in all DTC and cluster buses from November 13-17, when the odd-even scheme will be implemented, to promote public transport.

According to latest data from June this year, the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), which has a fleet of nearly 4,000 buses, carries around 28 lakh passengers daily and earns Rs 1.88 crore per day.

Five days of free rides would amount to DTC losing about Rs 9.5 crore.

“This will an added burden on us as we are already making losses,” a DTC official said on the condition of anonymity.

According to CAG reports, the national capital’s public transporter has been steadily making losses with no addition of new buses.

The total loss for DTC in 2014-2015 was Rs.2,917.75 crore, the highest in the previous five financial years.

The operational loss of Rs 1,273.19 crore in 2014-2015 was also the highest in the previous five financial years.

From 2010-2011 till 2014-2015, DTC accumulated losses to the tune of Rs 11,962.09 crore, while operational losses in that period were Rs 5,022.05 crore, CAG said.

Over 1,600 buses operate under the cluster bus scheme, run by the Delhi Integrated Multi Modal Agency (DIMTS), a joint venture between the Delhi government and the non-profit organisation IDFC Foundation.

Though exact figures were not available, government figures show the cluster scheme also suffered losses in 2015- 16.

The cluster scheme buses earned Rs 283 crore as revenue in 2015-16. However, the expenditure was Rs 544.35 crore and the difference of Rs 260 crore was paid by the government.