The new e-buses will be air-conditioned and have state-of-the-art facilities such as CCTV cameras, ramp facilities, panic buttons, and space for wheelchairs.
In a bid to encourage people to use public transport, the Delhi government has decided to offer free rides on its 150 e-buses for three days, starting Tuesday. The buses will be flagged off on May 24.
“The Delhi government has always been pushing people to shift to greener modes of transport and make the switch to EVs. Shifting to public transport, especially sustainable modes, is a lifestyle change that we wish to see in Delhi ites… I’ve personally traveled in them, now you can also ride in these buses which are synonymous with zero pollution, zero noise, and maximum comfort,” Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot told The Indian Express.
The e-buses will be launched at the IP depot by Gahlot and will be routed across the city. Presently, the city has only two e-buses.
The transport department has also advised all DTC officials and conductors to not force passengers to buy tickets during this period. “… It has been decided by the competent authority to allow free travel to all bus commuters in all ‘pure’ electric buses of DTC from May 24-26. All officers and operational crew of DTC may be informed accordingly…,” read the official order signed by Vineet Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, DTC Secretariat.
Gahlot, in a tweet, added: “Tomorrow is a huge day for all Delhiites! Arvind Kejriwal will flag off 150 new electric buses and inaugurate 3 new electric depots. Come, ride for free in our electric buses for the next 3 days, experience the comfort and also stand a chance to win an iPAD.”
The new e-buses will be air-conditioned and have state-of-the-art facilities such as CCTV cameras, ramp facilities, panic buttons, and space for wheelchairs. They will also have dedicated pink seats for women passengers. It will also have live video streaming in case of an emergency and a fire detection and suppression system.
Officials said these buses will be directly monitored by the Central Command Control room. The Delhi government currently operates 3,670 buses under the DTC and 3,033 buses under the cluster bus service. The government further targets to add 5,000 more buses to the city’s fleet.
