Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Tuesday flagged off 400 new electric buses in the national capital in a move toward sustainable and eco-friendly urban transportation. With this addition, Delhi now has 800 electric buses in total, making it the Indian city with the most electric buses.
The Delhi government has placed orders for a total of 1,500 electric buses, out of which 921 buses have received subsidies under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme. The operational cost for these 921 buses over 12 years is estimated at Rs 4,091 crores, with the central government providing Rs 417 crores as FAME subsidies, while the Delhi government bears Rs 3,674 crores.
What Kejriwal said?
"Together with the Honorable Lieutenant Governor, today flagged off 400 new electric buses and handed them over to the people of Delhi. These buses are included in the 921 buses of the subsidy scheme, for which a subsidy of Rs 417 crore has been given by the central government and the Delhi government will spend Rs 3674 crore," Kejriwal wrote on 'X' (formerly known as Twitter).
"There are now a total of 800 electric buses on the roads of Delhi, which is the highest in the country. Our target is to introduce a total of 8,000 electric buses in Delhi by the end of 2025. At that time there will be more than 10,000 buses in Delhi, of which 80% will be electric buses," the CM stated, adding that Delhi will also be known all over the world for its excellent electric buses very soon.
Delhi aims to increase its electric bus fleet
By the end of 2023, Delhi aims to increase its electric bus fleet to 1,900, making it one of the cities with the highest number of electric buses globally. Looking further ahead to 2025, Delhi plans to have a total of 10,480 buses, with 80 per cent of the fleet, or 8,280 buses, being electric. This transition is projected to save 4.67 lakh tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, with a lifetime savings of 5.6 million tonnes over 12 years.
Delhi now boasts a fleet size of 7,135 buses, comprising 4,088 buses under the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and 3,047 under the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS). Of these, 800 are electric buses, a significant milestone in the city's efforts to combat air pollution and reduce its carbon footprint. The 800 electric buses are expected to save approximately 45,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually, contributing to a greener and cleaner Delhi. Over their 12-year lifespan, these buses are estimated to save a total of 5.4 lakh tonnes of CO2.
Buses are fully equipped
It should be mentioned here that all Delhi buses are fully equipped with features to ensure passenger comfort and safety. They are designed to be accessible, affordable, sustainable, smart, and safe. These electric buses are designed for differently-abled, low-floor buses with air conditioning, making them accessible to all.
Kejriwal on debate over word 'INDIA'
Speaking on the debate over the word 'INDIA', the Delhi Chief Minister hit out at the central government. "Our country is of 140 crore people. What if I.N.D.I.A alliance changes its name to 'Bharat' alliance, will they (BJP) change the name 'Bharat'," Kejriwal added.
(With inputs from ANI)
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