The Delhi government has extended the deadline for completing the phase-out of "killer" Blueline buses from December 14 to January 31, 2011. As many as 823 of 2,052 such buses went off roads on Tuesday evening.

"Following the government’s decision, taken last month, no permit of private buses has been renewed," said transport minister Arvinder Singh Lovely, explaining that permits of these 823 Blueline lapsed on Tuesday and that operators of these buses had been asked to submit their licences to the transport department. By December 31, another 1,212 such buses will go off the roads.

Delhi transport corporation (DTC) has been asked to step up to the additional requirement and make up for the Blueline buses being phased out. If required, DTC drivers will be required to work overtime on the routes serviced by the Blueline buses.

The government is also gearing up for introduction of a new "cluster" scheme whereby private entities will be allotted specific areas across the city where they will be able to operate their buses. Lovely said even those not associated with the transport sector will be able to bid for this scheme. Those running the Blueline buses will not be barred from the scheme either. The government plans to allot 60 percent of the city's routes to the private bidders.