The first BRTS corridor, which is to be inaugurated on March 31, will become operational from April 1. “We will issue tenders for the pre-qualification bids within a week. Our target is to finalise the operation of the cluster, which will function as a pilot project, by June-end,” said Transport Commissioner R K Verma.

The cluster to be auctioned will comprise 30 bus routes covering Mori Gate, Lajpat Nagar, Red Fort, Mehrauli, Nizamuddin, Okhla, Ambedkar Nagar Terminal, Anand Vihar, Kamla Market, Anand Parbat, New Delhi Railway Station, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Vasant Kunj, Minto Road, Bara Tuti, Dhaula Kuan and Badarpur Border.

As many as 547 buses, including new snazzy low-floor buses, semi low-floor buses and some of the existing fleet, will be required on this cluster.

The DTC will have 60 per cent (330 buses) share while the winning bidder will have 40 per cent (217 buses). “The idea is to change the transport scenario with an emphasis on public transport instead of private,” said a transport official.

Currently, there are 352 bus routes operational in Delhi. We have planned 657 routes so that transport feed through buses alone will be increased to meet commuter demands by the 2010 Commonwealth Games,” said a transport official, adding that the government envisages as many as 11,000 buses plying in the city by the Games.

All buses, whether DTC or private, will be fitted with GPS, speed governors and other mandatory device, the official added.

“There are 17 clusters in the city. Operators for the other 16 clusters should be in place by December 31 this year. The pilot cluster will run on BRTS routes,” Verma said.

For the BRTS corridor, in particular, the government will provide special training to drivers plying buses on the route.