Delhi govt approves procurement of 2,800 e-buses

New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) The Delhi government on Tuesday approved the procurement of 2,800 air-conditioned low-floor pure electric buses under the Centre's PM E-DRIVE scheme, officials said. In a cabinet meeting headed by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the proposal of the transport department was approved to strengthen the current fleet of E-buses of Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), they said. "The proposed fleet comprises 1,400 nine-metre and 1,400 12-metre electric buses. The initiative is expected to improve public transport accessibility across Delhi while enhancing last-mile connectivity, particularly in underserved and peripheral areas," a senior government official said. According to officials, the transport department has been getting encouraging operational performance of nine-metre electric buses already deployed in the city, particularly in meeting local and feeder transport requirements. "Building upon this experience, the proposed induction seeks to create a balanced fleet capable of serving both high-density corridors and neighbourhood connectivity needs," officials added. As part of its long-term strategy, the Delhi government aims to expand the city's overall public transport bus fleet to nearly 14,000 buses by 2028-29, ensuring improved connectivity, enhanced service coverage and greater accessibility for commuters. Earlier this month, Union Minister Amit Shah had flagged off 300 electric buses, taking the total strength of DTC to around 6,600 buses in the city. PTI SSM APL