Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday flagged off over 24 electric buses at Sardar Patel Vidyalaya in Lodhi Estate as part of an initiative to promote green transport for school students.
Speaking on the occasion, LG Saxena said the national capital is in safe hands today. He also praised CM Gupta and noted that within just six months, she had done commendable work to improve the city’s air quality.
In her address, the CM said that by providing electric buses to schools, the government aims to ensure that children travel in pollution-free vehicles, thereby safeguarding both their physical and mental health.
Gupta also said this initiative would not only ensure safe travel for students but also play an important role in improving Delhi’s air quality.
Highlighting the role of diesel and CNG buses in worsening pollution, she urged all schools to switch to electric buses to help make Delhi’s air cleaner.
The CM also commended Sardar Patel Vidyalaya for converting its bus fleet into electric vehicles with the support of the Delhi government.
She reiterated that reducing pollution is a top priority for the Delhi government. Referring to the LG’s previous initiatives, she said that the government had already been undertaking efforts such as the removal of landfill sites, dust control, afforestation, and others, and that transitioning school buses to electric mode was now a decisive step in the same direction.
Meanwhile, the LG expressed confidence that within the next two to three years, Delhi would witness remarkable transformations that citizens had long awaited.
Saxena highlighted that the introduction of electric buses would facilitate the daily commute of nearly 1,200 students, thereby reducing 400–500 private vehicles on the roads, adding that it would not only lower pollution levels but also ease traffic congestion.
He added that if all schools and colleges adopt such initiatives, the problem of pollution could be significantly mitigated.