'Will help reduce pollution,' LG flags off 320 electric buses

New Delhi: Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena on Tuesday flagged off 320 electric buses, taking the number of such buses in the city to 1,970. Saxena said this addition will aid in Delhi's fight against pollution. "We are launching 320 electric buses.

These will provide relief to people of Delhi. In the coming time, there are plans to add more such buses. I feel that if pollution needs to be reduced in Delhi, public transport needs to be strengthened and this is a step in that direction.

"Our effort will be that the central and Delhi governments, which are working together on this, should take this ahead," the Delhi LG said at the flag-off event at Baansera. Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot, who was also present at the event, said Delhi has now become the first city in India and the third across the world to have the highest number of electric buses.

Later, addressing a press conference, Gahlot said the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) fleet consists of a total of 7,683 buses, including 1,970 electric buses and the remaining CNG buses. "This is the highest number of buses in DTC's fleet. Even at the time of Commonwealth Games, the fleet consisted around 5,500 buses. It is an important milestone," he said.

The minister said the new buses will be stationed at three bus depots -- Sukhdev Vihar, Kalkaji and Naraina. "The induction of these buses means that we have achieved a target of having 25 per cent electric buses in the fleet," he said. Equipped with CCTV cameras and panic buttons, the buses are differently-abled friendly, Gahlot said. By the end of 2025, Delhi aims to have a total of 10,480 buses, of which 80 per cent will be electric, he added.