New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday flagged off 200 electric buses, which will be deployed as part of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and Cluster Scheme bus services under the Delhi govt. Modi said, “This initiative will contribute to building a clean and green Delhi. It will also improve the ‘ease of living’ for the people of Delhi.”In a post on X, PM said: “Flagged off electric buses under an initiative of the Delhi govt aimed at boosting sustainable development and clean urban mobility. This will also improve ‘ease of living’ for the people of Delhi.”Describing the buses as a “a tremendous asset for Delhi”, chief minister Rekha Gupta said, “These are highly comfortable buses equipped with cameras and panic buttons for passenger safety. They have a low floor and are air-conditioned.” She further stated, “By 2027, the entire fleet of buses provided by the Delhi govt will be electric. We are also working on a new EV policy.”Last month, Gupta had flagged off 400 electric buses under the Delhi Electric Vehicle Interconnector (DEVI) scheme and announced that an additional 2,080 electric buses would be introduced by the end of this year. The Delhi govt plans to deploy 900 electric buses in the coming months as around 5,000 of the city’s 7,500 buses are due to be retired this year.Currently, Delhi operates about 7,500 buses, including both DTC and cluster services. The govt aims to expand the fleet rapidly as many buses are aging and approaching retirement. Transport minister Pankaj Singh stated that orders for thousands of new buses have been placed to maintain adequate public transport services.Singh also mentioned that approximately 4,000 buses will be phased out this year, to be replaced gradually by electric buses. In 2018, the Delhi govt informed the Supreme Court that the city requires 11,000 buses to meet its transportation needs. The upcoming purchases include both 12-metre and smaller nine-metre buses.To reduce traffic congestion and improve passenger convenience, DTC is also implementing route rationalisation to increase bus availability in high-density areas. According to data, DTC recorded an average daily ridership of 25.99 lakh in 2023-24, while cluster buses saw a lower daily ridership of 16.44 lakh.Under the Delhi Electric Vehicle Interconnector (DEVI) scheme, BJP govt has introduced small nine-metre buses, designed to serve areas inaccessible to larger 12-metre buses.
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