The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) announced plans to deploy 3,330 new mini electric buses, including compact 7-metre models designed for navigating the narrow lanes, significantly boosting last-mile connectivity and reducing pollution across the capital.
Government’s Emphasis for Mini Electric Buses
The proposal, sent to the Centre’s Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL) under Phase-2 of the PM E-DRIVE scheme, focuses heavily on improving connectivity in narrow lanes and densely populated residential areas, while promoting eco-friendly travel.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta emphasized the project as a part of her government’s Mega Resolve against pollution and in modernizing the public transport system in the city of Delhi. Now, Delhi runs 5,336 government buses of which 3,535 are already electric. The city is projected to have over 5,000 electric buses on the road by March 2026, and 7,000 by the end of the year with the continued inductions.
Key Highlights
Total Fleet Addition: 3,330 mini electric buses under Phase-2 of the PM E-DRIVE scheme.
- Bus Sizes:
- 500 mini e-buses, 7 meters long to use on congested and narrow streets where traditional larger buses cannot operate. These will provide true last-mile connectivity to residential colonies, mohallas and underserved areas.
- 2,330 buses, 9 metres long with a medium capacity route to serve as efficient feeder services, linking smaller roads to major routes and Metro Stations while offering better maneuverability in traffic.
- 500 buses, 12 metres long on high demand arterial and major routes.
- Features: Buses will be low floor, air-conditioned, and fully electric, which will make them comfortable and accessible.
- Objective: Enhance the last-mile connectivity, decrease the use of private vehicles and cut automobile emissions.
It is an ambitious project aimed at covering the area that standard buses are unable to access and promising greener and efficient transportation to the residential neighborhoods, marketplaces, and areas of industries. Compact mini electric buses will reduce pollution and traffic jams, which will help the city of Delhi to shift to sustainable public transport.
The transport authority has an objective to implement this service gradually from mid-2026, which will connect to the Metro network to streamline the urban mobility system. This move has been described as a game-changer to the daily travel by commuters.