Delhi Cabinet approves proposal for procuring 300 e-buses

New Delhi, March 26 The Delhi Cabinet on Friday approved a proposal to procure 300 new low-floor electric (AC) buses to increase the number of fleets in the city. The upcoming buses will be inducted into the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC).

So far, the DTC has been operating buses of its own.

A senior DTC official told that the buses would be able to operate a minimum 140 km in a single charge.

The operator will provide a driver while the DTC will depute its own conductor in the buses. Besides, the operator will also be in-charge of maintaining the buses or battery throughout the concession period of 10 years.

These electric-run buses will be introduced to the city in four phases.

"The first lot of 118 buses will arrive in October this year, while November will see an addition of 100 buses. As many as 60 buses will arrive in December, while the remaining 20 buses are likely to be received by January 2022," a DTC official said.

The replacement of the battery will be the obligation of the operator, which is generally done after 5 years.

The cost of electricity consumption for the operation of these buses will be borne by the DTC up to an energy efficiency of 1.4 kwh/km. However, the amount towards excess consumption of electricity for more than 1.4 kwh/km efficiency will be recovered from the operator on an annual consumption basis.

The cost of charging infrastructure, including the cost of charging equipment and transformers will be borne by the operator. DTC will provide an electric connection up to the depot from the nearest grid. The operator will be free to use a fast or slow charger but will have to operate the buses for at least 200 km per day.

"We have been taking a lot of measures to ensure sustainable and state-of-the-art transport facilities and a switch to electric non-polluting modes. In fact, electric buses are being introduced in Delhi for the first time and this is one of the largest engagements of electric buses by any state government or State Transport Undertaking. Soon we will have electric buses running on Delhi roads," said Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot.

( With inputs from IANS )