80% of Delhi’s entire bus fleet to be electric by 2025, says Kejriwal
Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said the induction of the new buses was a “befitting reply” to those who were spreading rumours that DTC will shut down.
Published: 25th August 2022 08:32 AM | Last Updated: 25th August 2022 08:32 AM | A+A A-
Arvind Kejriwal with Kailash Gahlot flags off a fleet of 97 electric buses at Rajghat Bus Depot on Wednesday | Parveen Negi
NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said 80 per cent of the over 10,000 buses plying in the capital by 2025 will be electric, making Delhi with the highest number of e-buses in the country.
While asserting the AAP government has developed world-class education and healthcare models in Delhi, he noted that it is now time to transform Delhi’s transport sector into a model for the world to reckon with.
Kejriwal flagged off 97 high-tech electric buses from the Rajghat Depot and announced that 8,000 e-buses are to arrive by 2025. Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said the induction of the new buses was a “befitting reply” to those who were spreading rumours that DTC will shut down.
“We are phasing out old-polluting buses and replacing them with electric buses. Many countries have modern transport systems. We will take a page out of their book and develop the most effective and efficient transport model in Delhi,” Kejriwal said.
The chief minister said with the addition of 97 more electric buses to Delhi’s fleet, the total number of such buses will go up to 250 since 153 such buses are already on the capital’s roads. “Fifty more electric buses will join the fleet in September. By September 30, there will be 300 such buses on the roads of Delhi. We are in the process of acquiring another 1,500 e-buses by November 2023,” he added.
“So by the end of next year, we will boast a tally of 1,800 e-buses. Post that, the pace of this e-bus revolution will accelerate even further. By 2025 end, we will add 6,380 more e-buses to our fleet,” he said.
Sharing figures, he said Delhi’s bus fleet will cross 10,000 with this and will boast of an 80 per cent electric bus fleet. “With over 8,000 e-buses, Delhi will become the city with the most e-buses in the country,” Kejriwal asserted.
Kejriwal also said that electrification of bus depots is going on rapidly to support the revolution with charging infrastructure.
‘Beffiting reply’ to DTC shutting down rumours
Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said the induction of the new buses was a “befitting reply” to those who were spreading rumours that DTC will shut down. While asserting that AAP has developed world-class education, Kejriwal said that it is now time to transform Delhi’s transport sector into a model for the world to reckon with.
