Delhi govt to induct 1,500 low-floor electric buses in its fleet

The Delhi government has approved the induction of 1,500 low-floor electric buses in its public transportation fleet. 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.

The city government also gave its approval to run 75 inter-state buses along 11 routes across five states and a Union Territory. The 10 sites that have been allocated to various service providers for establishing EV charging and battery swapping stations are Ambedkar Nagar Depot, Jal Vihar Terminal, Dilshad Garden Terminal, Karawal Nagar Terminal, Shadipur Depot, Mayapuri Depot, Bindpur Terminal, East Vinod Nagar, Punjabi Bagh, and Rohini Depot-I.

For setting up EV charging and battery swapping stations, Delhi Transco Limited (DTL) has identified four service providers through a competitive bidding process who will soon sign an agreement with DTC. The DTC Board also resolved to provide in-principle approval for procurement of 75 (38 non-AC and 37 AC) CNG standard floor buses for inter-state operations.

These buses will ply on 11 routes across five states including Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh, between Delhi-Rishikesh, Delhi-Haridwar, Delhi-Dehradun, Delhi-Haldwani, Delhi-Agra, Delhi-Bareilly, Delhi-Lucknow, Delhi-Jaipur, Delhi-Chandigarh, Delhi-Panipat, and Delhi-Patiala.

Further, the DTC board also decided to enhance the stipend paid to women during training for engagement to the post of drivers on contract basis from ₹6,000 to ₹12,000 per month with HMV driving licence.

(with inputs from PTI)