2.5 lakh tickets sold: OC

There's finally some good news for the OC of the Commonwealth Games 2010. Sources say ticket sales over the past weeks have been brisk, with sales breaching the 2.5 lakh mark. In fact, the tickets worth Rs 1,000 have been sold out in this phase of sale, added officials.

Said a senior OC official, ''The response has been very good. We have sold over 2 lakh tickets till date. We expect to sell more as the Games get nearer. The good news for the OC is that apart from the Rs 1,000 tickets, the others priced at Rs 5,000 are also getting sold now.'' The OC had generated the maximum amount of sales from the cheapest tickets, till now. The official further said, ''The other tickets too are finding takers. We have also got orders for bulk booking. The maximum orders placed have been by Coca Cola, which is also an official sponsor of the Delhi Games. Tickets worth Rs 89 lakh have been ordered by the Coca Cola company.''

Predictably, most interest has been shown in the opening and closing ceremony, though officials say tickets for the hockey matches, especially that of the India- Pakistan match, has also generated a lot of interest and sale. The other sports events that are also selling tickets are athletics and gymnastics, added officials.

While sales may have gone up, it's still a long wait for the OC to meet its target — of selling 17 lakh tickets. OC officials though claim that ticket sales will go up once the mega sports event takes off, as many spectators are expected to buy tickets from venues on the big day.

Sheila inaugurates biggest-ever public transport bus depot

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today commissioned the biggest-ever public transport Bus Depot in the capital, ushering into a new era of world-class transport facility in the city. The Depot is at Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) Bus Parking and Logistic Centre, near Millennium Park.

Speaking at a function held at the Depot, the Chief Minister described it as one of the best green Bus Depots in the country. She also launched hybrid buses with modern technology here, which are capable of covering distance at a speed similar to Delhi Metro. The four CNG-Electric Hybrid buses of Tata Motors will run in the city during the period of Commonwealth Games. With this, the DTC has come a long way in providing the most advanced public transport in the Capital, Ms Dikshit said. She described this as a humble beginning, which would take the public transport in Delhi to new heights. The Chief Minister appreciated the efforts of the PWD in commissioning such a unique Bus Depot in the shortest possible time over an ash pond and slushy area. The Depot has been constructed keeping in view the Commonwealth Games, but it will continue to be an integral part of Delhi's legacy, she informed.

''The new Depot is even better than international standard,'' she claimed.

Ms Dikshit expressed confidence the new Depot would be maintained properly to keep alive its sheen and utility. She said the structure was attractive enough and visible right from the Ring Road. ''With coming up of this new Depot, the Capital city has marched towards making the Public Transport System more reliable, dependable and comfortable,'' she asserted.

''This is not an end, the DTC has to achieve more milestones,'' she added. Elaborating on its features, the Chief Minister said, ''The new Depot is comprehensive in all respects with parking space for around 1000 buses, five workshop-cum-bus scanning centres, seven dormitories for various DTC officers and night stay for 500 persons.'' ''Eight washing pits, four underground tanks for washing buses, two CNG filling stations, two more underground tanks for water supply and fire reserve, 11 KV electric sub-station, baggage scanning centre to be maintained by Delhi Police, 16 high mast lighting, fire-fighting system and ample illumination with energy efficient lamps have also been added,'' she informed.

''Moreover, the Depot has been surrounded by green cover to give an aesthetic view,'' she said.

While launching hybrid buses, Ms Dikshit stated that Delhi was, in fact, awaiting this defining moment. This was another feather on the cap of DTC after low-floor green and red CNG buses, she added.

The Chief Minister expressed confidence that more hybrid buses will be inducted into the DTC fleet. ''This will go a long way in overcoming pollution. Delhi is all set to welcome new initiatives of the DTC as it is going to improve the lifestyle of passengers at large,'' she said. The DTC has made all elaborate arrangements required during the Games, Ms Dikshit added. The function was presided over by PWD Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan.

Delhi Transport Minister Arvinder Singh and MLA Vir Singh Dhingan also graced the occasion.

Delhi gets CNG-electric hybrid buses

Adding another feather to its cap ahead of the Commonwealth Games, the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) Friday added four hybrid buses, introduced for the first time in India, to its fleet for providing world-class transport services during the Oct 3-14 event.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Friday launched CNG-electric hybrid buses, provided by Tata Motors, at a function to inaugurate a bus depot in northeast Delhi.

DTC's media consultant M.S. Shehrawat told IANS that the buses, which can  run on either CNG or batteries, have been introduced for the first time inIndia and altogether there will be four buses for trial in the Games host city.

"These buses have been introduced on a trial basis. They are capable of covering a distance at a speed similar to the Delhi Metro. But, given the city's infrastructure, it will go by the prescribed limit set by the traffic police," he said.

The DTC has not decided about the routes on which these buses will run during the Games.

Earlier, Dikshit described the introduction of the buses as a "humble beginning" which will take the public transport in Delhi to new heights.

She expressed confidence that such buses will go a long way in overcoming pollution.

Meant for intra-city transportation, the Hybrid Tata Starbus is powered with a parallel hybrid engine comprising an internal combustion CNG engine and an electric motor using a regenerative energy storage system, a statement from Tata Moters said.

The bus offers substantial improvement in fuel economy compared to a conventional bus. As a result, the usage of this technology leads to lower emissions, thereby contributing to cleaner air and a greener, more environment-friendly commercial passenger transportation application, the statement said.

The low-floor air-conditioned bus, with a floor height of 400 mm, can seat 32 passengers and can also accommodate wheelchairs.