Delhi govt plans to float tenders : 1,000 e-buses on roads in six months

 New Delhi: The Delhi government plans to float tenders for 1,000 electric buses by December, so that the zero-emissions vehicles are rolled out in the next five to six months, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said on Friday as he launched an e-bus for trial run here.

During the three-month trial run, the e-bus will make trips between Ambedkar Nagar terminal and Inderpuri. 

"A report will be submitted by Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) in one month, and we intend to float the tender for e-buses in December so that buses are available in next 5-6 months," Gahlot told reporters.

 DIMTS has been appointed as consultant by the government for procurement of e-buses. The environment-friendly vehicles are being considered as an important alternative for commute the national capital that continues its battle with increasing pollution levels.

The air-conditioned, low-floor bus on trial run is a battery-operated vehicle manufactured by PMI Electro Mobility Solutions, Rewari (Haryana) in collaboration with Chinese company Foton.  

The bus, after overnight charge, may run over 150-200 km, the manufacturers have claimed. Charging facilities have been arranged at Kushak Nala bus depot, the Minister said.

The Transport Minister, along with his cabinet colleague Rajendra Pal Gautam and senior officials, including Transport Commissioner Varsha Joshi, took a ride of the bus during the trial. 

The standard size bus, equipped with four CCTV cameras and panic button, has a sitting capacity of 33 passengers.