In a step towards giving a boost to the national capital’s public transport system, 400 state-of-the-art electric buses were flagged off on Friday under the Delhi Electric Vehicle Interconnector (DEVI) scheme from the Kushak Nala depot.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta called the initiative a historic achievement in advancing sustainable, clean, and environment-friendly public transport in Delhi.
She emphasised that DEVI is a major step towards addressing the challenge of “last-mile connectivity” in the capital, and offers the citizens an affordable and convenient transport option, while also strongly promoting green mobility across the city.
The launch event was attended by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the Delhi CM, Union Minister of State for Road Transport Harsh Malhotra, Delhi Cabinet Ministers Parvesh Verma, Ashish Sood, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, and Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh, besides MPs, MLAs, and other dignitaries.
Speaking on the occasion, the CM thanked Union Minister Pradhan and said, “The central government, the Delhi government, and local bodies are working as one team — this is the true strength of a ‘triple-engine’ government.”
She further said, “We are united in our commitment to transform an unorganised Delhi into a better city. Today is a proud moment for all of us as we launch 400 new DEVI electric buses on Delhi’s streets. By the end of this year, we will add another approximately 2,080 EV-buses to serve the people — a significant step towards a cleaner, smarter, and safer transport system.”
She further stated that pollution in Delhi is a serious concern, with around 45 per cent of it attributed to vehicular emissions. In response, the Delhi government has resolved to transition the entire public transport network to 100 per cent electric, the CM added.
Noting that the solution cannot rely only on public transport, the CM said private vehicles must also move towards electric conversion. The state government will soon introduce a new EV policy—with attractive rebates and incentives—to encourage private vehicle owners in this regard, she added.
She informed that the government is rapidly developing essential infrastructure across the city, including charging stations, modern bus depots, and service centres.
The CM said that this year, approximately Rs 9,000 crore has been allocated to the Transport Department to support this expansion.
According to the CM, “The newly launched 400 DEVI buses will serve areas that could not previously accommodate 12-metre-long buses. These modern buses are equipped with advanced features such as CCTV cameras, Live tracking systems, panic buttons and buzzers, MNVR, and auto-flush systems.”
She added that these buses are also equipped with motorised foldable ramps for differently-abled passengers and retractable steps with a height of only 40 cm to ease boarding and alighting for them.
Speaking on the occasion, the Delhi Transport Minister said, “Guided by the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a Viksit Delhi, we are deploying 400 DEVI electric buses on the city’s roads today. This is a concrete step towards a clean, safe, and accessible public transport. These buses will improve connectivity for every citizen — from homes to metro stations, schools, hospitals, and workplaces.”