Delhi govt to ban Blueline buses near C'wealth Games venues from Sep 15

Failing to phase out the Blueline buses ahead of the Commonwealth Games, Delhi government today decided not to allow plying of such vehicles around the venues of the event from September 15.

Delhi transport minister Arvinder Singh Lovely said routes of 1,300 buses will be diverted and only low-floor buses of DTC will be allowed to move around the Games venues from September 15 to October 30.

The mega sporting event will be held in the city from October 3 to 14.

Currently, 2,800 Blueline buses are operating on over 600 routes in the national capital. The government had earlier said that the Blueline buses will be phased out before the Games.

The Delhi high court had directed a phase-out of Blueline buses, after which the city government launched low-floor buses last year.

The Delhi Transport Corporation last week had told the court that 911 more low-floor buses would be put on the roads before the Commonwealth Games as part of efforts to improve the transport system in the city.

Over 1,200 low floor buses are currently plying on various routes in the city.

The court had asked the city government to chalk out a plan to address the transport problem in Delhi in view of the Commonwealth Games.