With an aim to reduce pollution in the national Capital, Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot flagged off 100 low-floor air-conditioned ‘Compressed Natural Gas’ (CNG) buses and a prototype electric bus from the Indraprastha depot on Monday.
With this, the total number of buses in the public transportation fleet in Delhi has reached 7,001. The buses inducted on Monday will run from Ghumanhera Depot to various transit centres in Delhi such as the New Delhi Railway Station, Anand Vihar ISBT etc.
Prior to this, the bus fleet strength in Delhi had crossed the 6,000 mark during the 2010 Commonwealth Games. The Delhi Government is committed towards taking the bus transport system of the city and its frequency to the highest standards to aid public mobility.
During the event, Gahlot said, “More than 30 lakh people travelled in DTC and Cluster buses every day in the month of February, which is nearly 14 per cent of the NCT population.
Our buses have become an example of safe, convenient and affordable transport! We will continue adding to this number, with 2000+ electric buses joining our fleet in the coming year.
I dedicate all these new buses to the citizens of Delhi and urge Delhiites to reduce usage of private vehicles and shift to public transport for a pollution and congestion-free Delhi,” he added.
On the eve of International Women’s Day, the Minister also lauded the women conductors and Marshals in Delhi Government’s bus fleet for their contribution to making Delhi’s buses safer for women.
The Delhi Government had also recently relaxed height and experience criteria for female Heavy Motor Vehicle (HMV) licence holders for allowing more entry of women drivers into the DTC fleet.
The Delhi Government had also announced that the fee for training of women HMV drivers would be fully borne by the Government. Gahlot said that these buses are divyang-friendly and environment-friendly and are also equipped with modern facilities like panic buttons and GPS. These buses have been introduced under the cluster scheme of the Delhi Government.
“The Delhi Government is making efforts to bring 300 electric buses in the city by April,” Gahlot said.
“The Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had flagged off 100 low-floor air-conditioned CNG buses and one prototype electric bus from the Rajghat depot in January,” Gahlot stated.