Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Wednesday flagged off 200 new zero-emission electric buses from the Delhi University Sports Complex, taking the city’s electric bus fleet beyond 5,000.
The event also marked the launch of 56 dedicated ‘Ladies Special’ electric bus services, a Delhi-Karnal interstate electric bus service and a public EV charging station at the Delhi Transport Corporation’s (DTC) Rajghat Depot-1.
The newly inducted fleet includes 88 12-metre electric buses and 112 DEVI 9-metre electric buses. With their addition, Delhi’s total DTC bus fleet has reached around 6,800 buses. The government aims to expand the fleet to approximately 14,000 buses by 2028-29, with the long-term objective of transitioning the entire DTC fleet to electric vehicles.
The ‘Ladies Special’ services include 30 trips across 15 high-demand routes and 26 University Ladies Special trips across 13 routes. These buses will operate during morning and evening peak hours, connecting major employment and institutional centres as well as Delhi University colleges such as Hindu College, Ramjas College, Daulat Ram College, Shri Ram College of Commerce, Lady Shri Ram College, Gargi College, ARSD and Hansraj College.
Women police personnel and Home Guard marshals have been deployed on the dedicated services, which will be operated by female staff. Panic buttons installed in the buses have also been integrated with the Delhi Police 112 emergency response system to enhance passenger safety.
The Delhi-Karnal electric bus service will operate five air-conditioned electric buses, with 10 daily trips scheduled in each direction. The fare between Kashmere Gate and Karnal has been set at around Rs 212. The route will cover Singhu Border, Rai, Bahalgarh, Murthal, Gannaur, Samalkha, Panipat, Gharaunda and Madhuban.
The public EV charging station at Rajghat Depot-1 is equipped with four 240-kW chargers. The facility can support the charging requirements of electric buses, heavy commercial vehicles and electric cars.
L-G Sandhu said the new initiatives would strengthen clean mobility and improve connectivity across the Capital.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the expansion of the electric bus fleet was aimed at making public transport cleaner, safer and more convenient for commuters.
Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh said concrete measures had helped the DTC become profitable this year and reiterated the government’s target of expanding Delhi’s bus fleet to 14,000 buses by 2028-29.
