New Delhi, 19 August (H.S.): Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday flagged off 200 new electric buses, an inter-state Delhi-Karnal electric bus service and a Ladies Special bus service. They also inaugurated an electric vehicle (EV) charging station at Delhi Transport Corporation's (DTC) Rajghat Depot-I during an event held at the Delhi University Sports Complex.

The EV charging station has been developed at a cost of approximately Rs 5.50 crore. Delhi Transport Minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh and local MLA Surya Prakash Khatri were also present at the event.

The Lieutenant Governor said the initiatives, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Sapt-Dhara of Shakti', would strengthen sustainable mobility while promoting women's empowerment and safety.

He said the Ladies Special buses would be operated entirely by women staff and equipped with panic buttons directly connected to the Delhi Police's 112 PCR service, enabling passengers to receive immediate assistance in emergencies.

The Lieutenant Governor described the initiatives as an important step towards improving the 'ease of living' and sustainable mobility and building a cleaner, greener and safer Delhi on the path towards the vision of 'Viksit Bharat 2047'.

With the addition of 200 new electric buses, the DTC fleet has grown to around 6,800 buses, comprising 4,938 electric buses and 1,750 CNG buses.

The DTC has also introduced five fully electric, air-conditioned buses on the Delhi-Karnal route. The service will operate in both directions, offering 10 daily trips along a route spanning approximately 133 kilometres one way.

The route will directly connect Maharana Pratap ISBT at Kashmere Gate with Karnal in Haryana, covering several key locations, including Singhu Border, Rai, Bhalgarh, Murthal, Gannaur, Samalkha, Panipat, Gharaunda and Madhuban.

The electric bus network will also connect Delhi with Baraut, Sonipat, Dharuhera, Panipat and Rohtak, extending zero-emission public transport connectivity beyond the national capital's borders.

To further improve safety, convenience and accessibility for women, the DTC has introduced 56 dedicated electric bus services for female passengers. These include 30 Ladies Special trips across 15 high-demand routes and 26 University Ladies Special (U-SPL) trips across 13 routes.

The University Ladies Special service will provide dedicated connectivity to several prominent educational institutions, including Hindu College, Ramjas College, Daulat Ram College, Shri Ram College of Commerce, Lady Shri Ram College, Gargi College, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College, Hansraj College, SPM College, Deshbandhu College and Acharya Narendra Dev College.

As part of efforts to further strengthen Delhi's electric mobility ecosystem, the DTC has also established a public EV charging station at Rajghat Depot-I. Developed at an estimated cost of Rs 5.50 crore, the facility is expected to strengthen the city's EV charging infrastructure and support the expansion of electric public transport.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar