DTC and DMRC to collaborate in making innovative bus terminals

NEW DELHI: According to an official statement released on Friday, the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) have signed an MoU to create state-of-the-art bus terminals in the national capital. The DTC and DMRC have jointly identified land parcels and bus terminals for development in Nehru Place, Najafgarh, Mehrauli, Azadpur, and Narela in the first phase of the project.

The DMRC will carry out these projects from conception to commissioning, according to the agreement. It will also provide services for pre-construction operations such as developing preliminary plans and preparing preliminary estimates, as well as construction activities such as design approval or layout plan drawing, tendering, and job execution. It further stated that the scope of work would include post-construction operations such as acquiring certifications of completion from local authorities and handing over the project after it was completed.

An empowered committee, chaired by the DTC chairman and made up of two members each from DTC and DMRC, would oversee the project’s implementation and grant necessary approvals for design, design changes, estimates, deviations, escalation, and the imposition of penalties on the contractor, if any, among other things. The committee will also assess the project’s financial status on a quarterly basis or as the chairman of the Empowered Committee requires.

The Empowered Committee will be formed within 15 days after the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding, according to the release. The agreement gives the two bodies flexibility to work in terms of collaboration on a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP), Property Business (PB), or Deposit Work basis, in accordance with Delhi’s existing urban development legislation, instructions, rules, and Master Plan (MPD-2021). DMRC plans to incorporate green building features, rainwater-harvesting system, energy-efficient building features, water conservation, sewage/effluent treatment/recycling/disposal, solid waste management, dedicated vehicle parking, green belt, and other laws-compliant features. It is also said that the proposed development would be designed to be user-friendly for those with disabilities and will include accessibility elements.