The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government is working on a plan to induct electric buses with the delivery of the first batch of such vehicles expected to begin from the second quarter of 2019, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said here on Saturday.
The Chief Minister, who was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of what his government termed a “mass movement” against ambient air pollution in the Capital, said that his government was hopeful that the Delhi High Court would lift its stay on the procurement of 2,000 standard-floor buses further boosting public transport in the city.
“Our plan for electric buses is ready. I hope the delivery of e-buses will start from second quarter of the next year,” Mr. Kejriwal said.
The Delhi Cabinet had, in July, given in-principle approval for the procurement of 1,000 low-floor electric buses and later appointed the Delhi Integrated Multi Modal Transit System (DIMTS) as a consultant for the procurement process.
A senior Transport Department official said that the trial of the e-bus operation was likely to begin after September 15. “Three manufacturers, including one from China, have promised to provide e-buses for the trial run. Their formal consent is expected to be conveyed by mid-September,” the official said.
Purchase of 2,000 buses
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister further said that the Delhi government was on the verge of buying 2,000 buses when Delhi High Court stayed it in February this year. Later, the government had approached the Supreme Court against the stay order, that then allowed it to purchase 500 buses.
“The Supreme Court also directed us to approach High Court. I am hopeful the High Court will lift the stay and we will be able to buy 2,000 buses,” he said.