Bidding on for high-capacity buses

NEW DELHI: Three of the country’s leading auto manufacturing firms — Tata Engineering, Ashok Leyland and Sutlej — have expressed their interest in manufacturing high-capacity buses for the city.
This came to light when the bids were opened by Delhi government on Monday.
A Delhi government source said the three firms have submitted their bids for technical evaluation.
‘‘The bids will be assessed by a committee of experts and senior officials,’’ he said.
The three companies are expected to deliver high-capacity buses within the next three to four months. The first batch of these buses will ply between Ambedkar Nagar and Moolchand — a six-kilometre stretch.
These will be low-floor buses with wide doors and will ply on specific lanes, separated from other vehicles. An average bus will have over 100 seats for passengers and may have a vestibular system to separate two sections.
In the next fortnight, the technical prowess of the companies will be assessed by the government-appointed panel of experts.
‘‘After they are found to be technically eligible, financial evaluations will be made,’’ the source said. Financial bids will be assessed by a group of finance experts and finance department officials.
While the three firms are competing for the manufacture of these buses, the roads will be customised by RITES and Indian Institute of Technology (Delhi).
The system of high-capacity buses with exclusive lanes was introduced in parts of Latin America and Asia, and in north America where they are running successfully.
A State Transport Authority (STA) official said the firms which have submitted the bids have a tough task ahead.
‘‘In order to make low-floor buses, they will have to keep the heavy CNG cylinders on the roof. The buses will have to be made in a manner so that the weight is distributed evenly and the bus doesn’t crack due to pressure,’’ he said.
Such buses are made using a special design and are known as ‘monocoque’ buses. ‘‘A high-capacity system needs technology, traffic signal priority, rapid and limited stop service, clean, quiet and aesthetically-designed vehicles,’’ the official said.
Delhi has a large network of roads with a width of 45 metres and above. High-capacity buses are being planned on such roads to avoid congestion.