New Delhi: The Delhi government will add 200 zero-emission electric buses to the city’s public transport fleet and start an interstate electric bus service between Delhi and Karnal, as part of efforts to expand clean public transport, ANI reported.
The government will also introduce 56 dedicated women-only electric bus services and open a high-capacity public electric vehicle charging station at the Delhi Transport Corporation’s Rajghat Depot-I, according to a government statement.
Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh said the addition of the new buses will take Delhi’s electric bus fleet to 4,938 and the total bus fleet to about 6,800, including 1,750 compressed natural gas buses.
The new electric fleet includes 88 12-metre buses and 112 nine-metre DEVI buses. The low-floor, air-conditioned buses will have CCTV cameras, panic buttons, real-time tracking and facilities for passengers with disabilities.
The Transport Department and DTC are working to increase the city’s bus fleet to nearly 14,000 by the 2028-29 financial year, Singh said.
Under the new interstate service, DTC will operate five fully electric, air-conditioned buses between Delhi and Karnal. The buses will make 10 trips in each direction every day along the roughly 133-km route.
The service will start from Maharana Pratap ISBT at Kashmiri Gate and pass through Singhu Border, Rai, Bhalgarh, Murthal, Ganaur, Samalkha, Panipat, Gharaunda and Madhuban before reaching Karnal.
The service will add to DTC’s existing interstate electric bus routes connecting Delhi with Baraut, Sonipat, Dharuhera, Panipat and Rohtak.
The corporation will also start 56 dedicated women-only electric bus services. These include 30 Ladies Special trips on 15 busy routes and 26 University Ladies Special trips on 13 routes.
The services will connect residential areas with major workplaces, commercial centres, institutions and government offices in areas including Nehru Place, AIIMS, South Extension, R.K. Puram, Connaught Place, ITO, Delhi Secretariat, Karol Bagh, Kashmiri Gate and Shivaji Stadium.
The University Ladies Special services will connect several colleges, including Hindu College, Ramjas College, Daulat Ram College, Sri Ram College, Lady Shri Ram College, Gargi College, ARSD, Hansraj College, SPM College, Deshbandhu College and SGGSCC.
All 56 services will use fully electric DEVI buses and carry distinctive stickers to help passengers identify them at bus stops and terminals.
DTC has also set up a public EV charging station at Rajghat Depot-I. The facility has four chargers, each with a capacity of 240 kilowatts, and can charge heavy commercial electric vehicles as well as electric cars.
A 1,600 KVA substation, transformers, high- and low-voltage panels and other electrical equipment have been installed at the facility. The charging station was developed at a cost of about ₹5.5 crore.
More high-capacity charging stations are being built at other DTC locations, the government said.
“With these initiatives, Delhi is steadily building a future-ready public transport network that combines environmental responsibility with better passenger experience,” Singh said.The government and the Transport Department will continue to expand electric mobility, increase public transport capacity and build supporting infrastructure, the statement said.
