Editor Mr.Mayank Rawat ( Chief Editor Mr. Rohit Mishra )
New Delhi: In a push towards strengthening last-mile connectivity, Delhi govt is set to launch more than 200 air-conditioned mini-electric buses under the Delhi Electric Vehicle Interchanges (DEVI) scheme.
The nine-metre-long green-and-yellow ‘DEVI’ buses are equipped to navigate through narrow lanes and congested roads where standard 12-metre buses face manoeuvring challenges.
Initially proposed as ‘mohalla buses’ by the previous AAP govt and announced in the 2023-24 Budget, the rollout of the fleet faced long delays and later underwent trial runs on select routes. The official launch by the new BJP govt, which was scheduled for Tuesday, has been postponed in view of the declaration of national mourning following the demise of Pope Francis, chief minister Rekha Gupta said on Tuesday.
Transport minister Pankaj Singh said a new date would be declared soon. “BJP govt, under the vision of PM Narendra Modi, is committed to promoting green technology, and this is a step in that direction,” he added.
Officials said the mini buses are fitted with 23 passenger seats and have a standing capacity of 13 passengers. Six seats will be marked in pink and reserved exclusively for women. With a quick 45-minute charging cycle, each bus can travel more than 200km. The fare is expected to be in line with Delhi govt’s existing AC buses, likely at Rs 10, 15, 20 and 25. Women will be able to travel free using the pink pass, an official said.
The buses feature images of PM Modi and CM Gupta. According to sources, about 100 bigger 12-metre buses, also displaying pictures of PM and CM, would be launched along with the smaller ones.
In 2022, photos of former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and then transport minister Gahlot were used on public buses during an awareness campaign on lane driving. In Oct last year, DTC directed its depot managers to remove all ‘political posters’ from its buses and premises.
Delhi govt in 2018 had informed the Supreme Court that the city requires 11,000 buses to meet its transportation needs. However, the current fleet of buses in Delhi, including both govt-run DTC and cluster bus services, stands at over 7,400, which falls short of the city’s requirements, resulting in long waiting times for commuters.
The DTC fleet currently has 1,231 AC CNG buses, 1,878 non-AC CNG buses, and 1,250 electric low-floor buses. Similarly, under the cluster bus service, there are 750 AC CNG buses, 1,997 non-AC CNG buses, and 379 electric buses.
About 2,000 cluster and 3,000 DTC buses will be phased out this year, and electric buses will take their place. Officials said Delhi govt intends to deploy 900 electric buses in the coming months, as about 5,000 of 7,500 buses are due to be retired this year.
According to the official, Delhi govt has placed orders for thousands of new buses to maintain adequate public transport services and ensure convenience of commuters.
Mayank Rawat
