The Hindu : Sleeker, efficient DTC making profits

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 19, 2003

Other States

Other States - New Delhi

Sleeker, efficient DTC making profits

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI FEB. 18 . Winds of change are sweeping the Delhi Transport Corporation. The bus depots which earlier had numerous old and junked buses now have recovery vans of similar shapes, indicating a turnaround in the fortunes of the corporation that now boast of the world's largest fleet of CNG buses. Even when it comes to staff behaviour, the change is perceptible. Be it the Namaskar Sewa - where the conductor steps forth before the start of each ride and greets passengers - or the manner in which the DTC buses now run ahead of the Blueline ones on the same routes, the changes appear to be for the good.

But behind the recent successes lies a change in official approach towards the management. The staff, that once faced the risk of being laid off, as the accumulated losses of DTC had crossed over Rs 800 crores, has been made to realise that their job security is proportionately related to their performance.

Also, the staff has now been provided an Assured Career Progression scheme that ensures a time-bound scale increase with two hikes assured between 12 and 24 years of service. It also provides promotion in case there is a vacancy on the post above and an increment in alternate years for even those who are at the end of scale.

The financial benefits and feeling of goodwill, says an official, have been the main motivating factors and ensured a change in the approach of the staff. "Once you provide them a clean working atmosphere and a good pay and minimise the chance of corruption, they stop falling for the bait, which though alluring comes with a lot of humiliation.''

The financial improvement is also on account of improvement in the utilisation of fleet from 160 km per day per bus to 200 km. Greater travel has meant greater revenue. The increase in utilisation percentage from 80 to nearly 95 due to good condition of buses and their proper maintenance at refurbished depots has also meant greater convenience to the general public and profits for the organisation.

The collections of the Corporation also increased dramatically from around Rs 22.5 crores in June last year to Rs 31 crores in December.

And while Rs 170 crores was spent on DTC by the Delhi Government for procuring 1,000 new CNG buses recently, the DTC paid back by registering "operating profits'' for the first time in many years. Ticket sales also increased nearly 108 per in the past year, the earnings per bus also showing a corresponding increase from around Rs 900 per month to Rs 2100 during the corresponding period.

All this while, senior officers say, the DTC under the chairmanship of A.J.S. Sahni, has been meeting its social obligations as well. "There are 26 buses at night and not one misses the trip. Also, there is no missing of duty after 8 p.m. and no bus misses the trip between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m.,'' claimed DTC Financial Advisor, Savitur Prasad.

Incidentally, while DTC was changing its overall approach towards work, it also received a stern warning from the State Finance Department that asked it to bring down its losses. With the internal deficit at over Rs 250 crores and borrowing standing at Rs 720 crores, with not an instalment paid in the past five years, DTC was compelled to present steeper targets for itself this past December.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States

Stories in this Section

A project for safe school buses

Unfair trade seen in cell-phone offers

Sleeker, efficient DTC making profits

Money first, service later

DERC chief contradicts Ministers' remarks

BJP unleashing sleaze campaign: Cong.