Transport dept wants BRT back,CRRI says stick to status quo

“As per the interim report submitted before the court on Wednesday,we have submitted our findings on the trial run and have recommended that the present operational plan should be continued. It is beneficial for everyone. However,we are awaiting the copy of the court order,which we will get by Friday. We would like to hand over the stretch to Transport department and DIMTS over the weekend,if required,” said Dr S Velmurugan,senior scientist of CRRI,who is heading the BRT study team.

Meanwhile,the Transport department said they were expecting the BRT corridor to be handed back in a day or two. “The BRT would start running normally in a day or two as it will take CRRI time to remove signage and temporary bus stops they had created along the stretch,” said a senior transport official. He said he had no idea about CRRI wanting to continue with the present plan. “They will have to issue a fresh notification if they want to continue with the trial run,” said the official.

DIMTS said the Transport department would give them the date for handing over the BRT by Friday.

On Wednesday,Delhi High Court had granted the city government six weeks to file its final report on the CRRI study. The next court hearing in this matter is on July 12.

On Wednesday,the CRRI had submitted its findings before the court. The findings stated that while most motorists did not see any improvement during the trial,commuters who took buses said the removal of BRT improved the traffic situation. The report said: “Perhaps this view has emerged because commuters felt that bus stops located on the BRT stretch are like islands on the road. People need to cross the road to reach bus stops. This not only leads to slowing down of traffic but is hazardous for commuters too.”