The deadline for the bus-cluster scheme in Delhi has been extended further, after it missed its second deadline. Earlier, the scheme was to be adopted by October, at the time of the Commonwealth Games, then was scheduled for a December start but now the authorities expect the cluster-buses on roads only by March next year.

Pinning the miss on delays in getting buses, R K Verma, commissioner, Delhi transport department said, "Earlier, we had restricted the buses only to low-floor ones and found it difficult to get as many as 232 buses for the first cluster. Low loor buses are used in bulk in Delhi and not elsewhere." However, for the remaining clusters, the transport authorities have disposed of the restriction. Standard floor buses with a floor height of 900 mm will also be allowed, he added.

Seven hundred buses are expected to be procured for the second cluster which will be rolled out in May or June. By August-September another five or six clusters will be introduced. The authorities hope to add as many as 2,000-3,000 buses by the next financial year - only if supply constraints do not derail the plans. The government had roped in private entities to manage 60 percent of the cluster services.