Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday stepped up the governments push for cleaner and more sustainable public transport by flagging off 50 new zero-emission electric buses and launching the Delhi-Rewari interstate e-bus service.
The initiatives are aimed at making public transportation cleaner, safer and more convenient for commuters while strengthening connectivity across the National Capital Region (NCR).
Along with the new electric bus fleet, Gupta also inaugurated the Tehkhand Automated Testing Station and dedicated two public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at the Hasanpur and Ghazipur depots.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Minister said the Delhi governments approach was focused on finding solutions rather than merely highlighting problems.
She described the launch of the electric buses, automated testing facility and public charging infrastructure as an important step towards clean mobility in the national capital.
Today, we are inaugurating over 50 new EV buses for the people of Delhi; simultaneously, we are launching the automated testing station here in Tekhand and opening EV charging stations for the public, Gupta said.
She added that the government was consistently working towards clean mobility and creating a transport system that addresses the needs of residents through practical solutions.
The Delhi-Rewari interstate e-bus service is expected to improve public transport connectivity between Delhi and Rewari and provide commuters with a cleaner alternative for intercity travel.
The introduction of additional electric buses will also contribute towards reducing emissions from public transportation.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the governments efforts in addressing Delhis long-standing waste management challenges. Referring to the clearance of the Okhla dumping site, Gupta said the area, which had accumulated around 70 lakh metric tonnes of garbage, had been cleared of the legacy waste.
According to the Delhi Chief Minister, only fresh waste accumulated over the past year remains at the site. The reclaimed land will now be transformed into an Oxygen Park, creating a green and recreational space for residents in an area that had for years been associated with the problems caused by the massive garbage dump.
The Okhla dumping station held approximately 70 lakh metric tons of garbage; we cleared it all, leaving behind only the fresh waste accumulated over the last year, she said.
Gupta said the proposed Oxygen Park would provide residents with cleaner surroundings and a place where they could enjoy fresh air. She noted that people living near the landfill had endured the unpleasant conditions caused by the garbage mountain for years.
The Chief Minister further said approximately 37 acres of land had been reclaimed following the clearance of the site and that work on developing the Oxygen Park would begin shortly.
Another major component of Thursdays announcements was the inauguration of the automated vehicle testing station at Tehkhand. The facility is expected to enable fitness testing of approximately 72,000 vehicles every year, strengthening vehicle safety checks and modernising the testing process.
Gupta said the foundation stone for the automated testing station had been laid in November and congratulated officials and employees of the Transport Department for completing the project within a few months.
In a post on X, she said the facility would provide fitness testing for around 72,000 vehicles annually, describing its completion as an important achievement for the Transport Department.
The Chief Minister also reiterated her governments goal of making public transport the preferred mode of travel for Delhi residents by improving convenience, safety and accessibility.
Along with this, 50 new electric buses, the Delhi-Rewari inter-state e-bus service and two new public EV charging stations at Hasanpur and Ghazipur depots have been dedicated to the people of Delhi, she said.
Member of Parliament Ramvir Singh Bidhuri and Delhi Cabinet Minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh were also present at the event, along with other dignitaries.
The series of initiatives marks a broader effort by the Delhi government to build a modern and future-ready transport ecosystem, combining electric public transport, improved vehicle testing infrastructure and expanded EV charging facilities with efforts to reclaim polluted and degraded urban land.