Bhubaneswar: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday flagged off 500 new air-conditioned electric buses, taking the capital’s electric public transport fleet to 4,286 buses and making Delhi the largest electric bus city in India.
The Chief Minister, accompanied by senior BJP leaders, also inaugurated Delhi’s first electric inter-state bus service connecting the capital to Panipat in Haryana. The fare for the service has been set at ₹129.
Officials said the newly inducted buses are equipped with safety and passenger-friendly features, including CCTV surveillance cameras, fire alarms, and real-time monitoring systems.
The Delhi government has set an ambitious target of deploying 14,000 buses by 2028 to ensure comprehensive coverage across all neighborhoods in the city. The expansion is part of the broader push to strengthen public transport infrastructure and reduce pollution levels in the national capital.
However, the rollout has triggered political reactions, with some Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders claiming that the procurement process was initiated under the previous administration. Government officials, meanwhile, credited the current government for accelerating the deployment and bringing the buses into service at a rapid pace.
The addition of electric buses is expected to reduce carbon emissions and improve the reliability and reach of public transportation in Delhi.
-OdishaAge
