- By Shubham Bajpai
- Sat, 18 Oct 2025 11:13 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has planned to convert old buses into restaurant-style food counters at the main bus terminals, including three Inter-State Bus Terminals (ISBTs). The step is being taken to provide better food facilities to the travellers while diversifying the income source.
The canteens will be air-conditioned and tenders have been issued for this. A bus has been converted into a canteen at Kashmiri Gate ISBT as a model.
The government sees two advantages in opening canteens in old buses: First, passengers will have access to quality, affordable food and beverages on the buses and outside the terminal. Second, providing this facility through tenders will boost DTC's revenue. The loss-making DTC is exploring various ways to increase its revenue.
Under this plan, the DTC and the DTIDC (Delhi Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation), a subsidiary of the Transport Department, are working on a strategy to open canteens in buses.
As of now, there are no canteen facilities at any bus terminal or ISBT operated by the DTC or DTIDC. All food and beverage stalls at the Kashmere Gate Interstate Bus Terminal have been removed.
Sometime ago, Delhi's Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena visited the Kashmiri Gate ISBT and saw the garbage and dirt around the food stalls inside the bus terminal. He ordered to ban the sale of food items inside the ISBT inside the terminal.
Since then, a plan was considered to open a canteen outside the rest area inside the inter-state bus terminal, and an old bus was given a new look and made air-conditioned.
Delhi has three interstate bus terminals, 37 bus depots, and 24 terminals from where buses operate within and outside the national capital. DTC sources said that if the plan is successful, opening bus canteens at all these locations will be considered.