100 electric buses likely to join Delhi's public transport fleet next week

Delhi is expected to add nearly 100 more electric buses by next week. The state government is likely to flag them off, according to officials. Delhi has received a batch of over 100 electric buses recently. The confirmation comes after the Delhi government had approved the induction of 1,500 low-floor electric buses in its public transportation fleet last week. These buses will operate under the state's public transport agency Delhi Transport Corporation, or DTC.

Earlier this year in January, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had flagged off Delhi Transport Corporation's first electric bus. Kejriwal had said 300 more electric buses will soon join the public transport in the national capital. He had also said that as many as 2000 electric buses will be procured by the government in the coming years.

The first electric bus in the DTC fleet came with zero tailpipe emissions. The electric buses have kneeling ramps for differently-abled passengers and special pink seats for women passengers. The bus is also equipped with CCTV cameras, two-way central command and control centre and 10 panic buttons each along with a hooter.

At present, Delhi has two electric bus depots located in Mundela Kalan and Rohini Sector 37. Mundela Kalan is Delhi's first fully electric bus depot. It spreads across a 4.57-acre of land and has 32 DC fast EV chargers installed with additional facilities like three guard rooms and four service pits and two dry pits. The Rohini Sector 37 depot, Delhi's second fully electric bus depot, is spread over seven acres of land. It currently has 25 DC fast chargers. 23 more such DC fast EV chargers have been proposed to add to it soon.

The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has decided to allocate 10 sites to various agencies for setting up electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and battery swapping stations under Delhi EV Policy 2020 to aid the operation of these buses.