The Delhi government will roll out 150 new electric buses next month as part of a major push toward clean public transport, Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh announced. The move aims to make Delhi a ‘Green Capital’ by strengthening e-bus infrastructure.
In a major push toward clean public transport, the Delhi government will roll out 150 new electric buses next month, Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh announced on Monday following a comprehensive review meeting with senior officials of the Transport Department.
During the meeting, the minister reviewed the progress of projects under the National Electric Bus Programme (NEBP), the PM E-Drive scheme, and the construction of new bus depots across the national capital. Emphasising the government’s commitment to environmental sustainability, Dr Singh stated that Delhi is rapidly strengthening its electric bus infrastructure to transform the city into a ‘Green Capital’ in alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s green vision. “Our government is simultaneously developing bus depots and charging infrastructure, with every site being closely monitored to ensure that new electric buses hit the roads of Delhi without any delay. Our objective is to build a clean and green Delhi by expanding infrastructure according to growing requirements while keeping environmental sustainability at the core,” the Transport Minister said.
E-Bus Infrastructure Expansion
Currently, around 5,088 electric buses are operational across 40 depots in Delhi, while the installation of EV chargers is underway at three additional depots. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, five new bus depots with a total charging capacity of 768 buses are being developed under the National Electric Bus Programme (NEBP). Furthermore, under the PM E-Drive-1 initiative, charging infrastructure with a capacity for 2,800 electric buses is being created across 16 depots. An additional 16 depots with a capacity for 2,710 buses will be developed under PM E-Drive-2. Both phases are scheduled for phased completion over the next two years.
Boosting Rural and Outer Delhi Connectivity
To enhance public transport connectivity in rural and outer areas of Delhi, the government is constructing two new bus depots at Daurala and Jhuljhuli, with capacities of 250 and 500 buses respectively, aimed at integrating these areas with the mainstream transport network.
Land Acquisition for Future Growth
To meet the rising demand for depot space and charging infrastructure, the Transport Department has requested the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to allocate land at five strategic locations: Tikri Kalan Village (PVC Market), Jaunti Village, Mungeshpur Village, Bakkarwala, and Ghazipur Mandi. Additionally, the department has reached out to the DDA, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for space to establish charging stations, including a request to the DMRC for additional land to expand the capacity of the Rithala depot. Land has also been allocated by the Directorate of Panchayats to the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and the Transport Department for developing further depot and charging facilities. (ANI)
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