Easing traffic woes: Delhi govt decides to scrap BRT corridor

New Delhi: The Delhi cabinet today decided to scrap controversial Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor in the city, a flagship project of the Sheila Dikshit dispensation. “Delhi government decides to scrap controversial Bus Rapid Transit Corridor in South Delhi,” Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters after the cabinet meeting.[caption id=“attachment_2355224” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] The BRT corridor. [/caption] The transport department was recently directed to prepare a study report on the BRT. “In the department’s report, officials have given several opinions on whether BRT should be scrapped or not. I have had several meetings with the department’s officials in past. “However, the Cabinet will only take the final decision on BRT corridor,” Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai had said earlier in the day. Sources said that AAP government has been contemplating of reconverting the 5.8 kms BRT corridor from Moolchand to Ambedkar Nagar into a regular road. Five AAP MLAs including Greater Kailash MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj, whose constituencies fall along the corridor, were in favour of scrapping the capital’s controversial traffic project. The corridor often led to massive traffic jams prompting demands from citizens that it be scrapped. The BRT corridor from Ambedkar Nagar to Moolchand in south Delhi was opened on 20 April 2008 and was welcomed by environmentalists and several transport experts as a solution to Delhi’s traffic woes. However, poor implementation and bad planning resulted in massive traffic jams in lanes meant for private vehicles. Under the ‘Decongest Delhi’ project, the transport department has planned to build five more BRT corridors in the national capital, but officials said, the move would not leave any impact on the new proposed corridors in the capital. PTI