After launching bus services to Sonipat in Haryana and Barot in Himachal Pradesh on a trial basis, the Delhi Transport Department is planning to electrify all three inter-state bus terminals (ISBTs) in the capital to promote e-buses and reduce air pollution, officials said.
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Following this plan, the infrastructure will be expanded and electric vehicle charging units are scheduled to come up at the three bus stations at Kashmir Gate, Anand Vihar and Sarai Kale Khan, officials said.
“The government’s main goal is to reduce vehicular emissions and go completely green. Electrification of bus depots has already started. The government also wants to promote e-buses for inter-state travel and has already started two inter-state bus services. But before purchasing more buses, we need to expand the electric vehicle infrastructure,” a senior official said.
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The project will be implemented by the Delhi Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (DTIDC), which has already floated tenders for the project, officials added.
“Twenty-four 240 kW chargers and six 60 kW chargers will be installed at each ISBT…Under this project, there are also plans to set up 1,000 to 1,250 kVA transformer substation, 11 kV/433 V/combined substation or higher capacity (including HT/LT panel, and associated works),” an official said.
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The project will be implemented under the Special Assistance for State Capital Investments (SASCI) programme, a central government program that provides financial assistance to states for capital expenditure projects through long-term, interest-free loans.
Delhi was included under this scheme for the first time this year, and the Center has promised an interest-free loan of Rs 600 crore to the Delhi government for 50 years.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday announced 50 new e-buses on Friday at the DTC Tehkhand bus depot in southeast Delhi. It also laid the foundation for an automated testing station (ATS) to test the suitability of vehicles.
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The ATS will have four lanes – two for heavy vehicles, one for light vehicles and one for two-wheelers. Officials said it will be developed to test 72,000 vehicles annually and 20,000 two-wheelers. The revenue expected to be generated is Rs 3 crore.
“In just eight months, the Delhi government has made extraordinary progress in the transport sector and added 1,350 e-buses, while the previous government could add only 2,000 e-buses in 11 years,” she said.
After laying the foundation stone for the construction of a new ATS, Gupta said, “Vehicle emissions remain one of the most significant contributors to air pollution in Delhi…Delhi has approximately 6.5 lakh commercial vehicles that require an annual fitness certificate, yet the system has been neglected for decades. The capital had only one center in Gondpura, with a limited testing capacity of just 47,000 vehicles. This has forced thousands of vehicle owners to travel to cities of the National Capital Region for fitness testing.”
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She accused the previous AAP government of leaving Delhi’s transport arrangements in deep disarray.
The Prime Minister also said that the ATS under construction at Nand Nagri, which will have a capacity of 72,000 vehicles, is nearing completion.
(tags for translation) Delhi News
