E-bus: Delhi seeks to prepare public transport for future with help from DTC

The Delhi government is preparing the old bus depots and terminals for the future for buses and other electric vehicles (EVs) as part of the construction of new electric depots to house the first batch of electric buses which are expected to be rolled out soon.

Delhi Transport Corporation has started the process of completing electric vehicle charging stations at Nehru Place and Mehrauli and Rajghat-I bus terminals, Dwarka sectors 2 and 8, Kalkaji and IP depots. On September 13, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot laid the foundation stone for the city’s first public electric vehicle charging station at the Nehru Place bus terminal.

The government was moving closer to its agenda to develop an innovative charging infrastructure and electric vehicle ecosystem in Delhi, Gahlot said, adding that he had worked with Convergence Energy Services (CESL). The wholly-owned subsidiary of Energy Efficiency Services Limited under the Union Ministry of Energy has expertise in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.

CESL will develop public battery recharging and exchange stations with DTC.

The real-time status and availability of charging points will also be available on the ONE DELHI mobile application once operational.

DTC designated electric bus depots at Rohini-I and II, Mundela Kalan, Subhash Place, Mayapuri, Hari Nagar, Sukhdev Vihar, etc., are nearing completion.

“For this, an ambitious plan has been drawn up, the evaluation of deposits and meetings with the discos are underway. In addition, a PMU has been set up to oversee the whole, ”Ashish Kundra, Principal Secretary and Transport Commissioner, told TOI.

Kundra said Delhi is considering a transition to an ecosystem of fully electric public transport and electric vehicles.

(With entries from YOU)