NEW DELHI: The city government postponed the launch of the Delhi Electric Vehicle Interchanges (DEVI) on Tuesday following the Centre’s declaration of national mourning in the wake of the passing of Pope Francis.
The Delhi Transport Department officials said the inauguration will be announced with a revised date soon. DEVI buses, which were earlier proposed to be named ‘Mohalla Buses’ by the previous AAP government, will soon hit the road. These buses were undergoing trial runs on half a dozen routes over the past few months.
In its first phase, 76 buses will be operated from three depots — Nangli, East Vinod Nagar, and Ghazipur. Each bus is designed to seat 23 passengers, with an additional standing capacity for 13 individuals.
Importantly, six seats will be reserved for women, and 25 per cent of the total seating will be made available free of cost under the Delhi government’s Pink Pass scheme, aimed at encouraging safer and more affordable travel for women.
The buses are powered by a battery system comprising six battery packs with a combined energy capacity of 196 kWh. A full charge can be completed in 45 minutes, providing a driving range of up to 200 km— sufficient for a full day’s operations within city limits. The first operational route under the DEVI scheme, labelled MS-1, is planned to connect Akshardham Metro Station with the Mayur Vihar Phase-3 Paper Market. Key stops along this corridor include densely populated residential and commercial zones such as Trilokpuri, Kalyanpuri, and Ghazipur, offering much-needed connectivity to underserved areas.
The fare structure will mirror that of the capital’s existing fleet of air-conditioned buses, with tickets priced at Rs 10, Rs 15, Rs 20, and Rs 25 depending on the distance travelled.