Delhi CM Rekha Gupta flags off 105 new DEVI e-buses, inaugurates Narela depot

Time of India

3 days ago

NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta on Friday flagged off 105 new orange-coloured electric buses under the DEVI (Delhi EV Inter-connector) scheme and inaugurated a newly constructed bus depot in Narela, calling the developments a step towards cleaner and more efficient public transport in the capital.
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Speaking at the event, Gupta said the Sector A9 depot was completed within 90 days and described it as a reflection of the BJP government's commitment to delivering on promises made to Delhi's residents.
She also used the occasion to criticise the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, accusing it of mismanaging the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and fostering corruption.
'Buses are Delhi's lifeline. But under the previous government, routes were cut, buses reduced, and corruption seeped in,' she said.
Citing a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), Ms Gupta claimed that DTC had suffered losses amounting to Rs 65,000 crore during the earlier regime.
She further alleged that the free bus ride scheme for women had been plagued by corruption, and added that panic buttons in older buses were 'installed just for show'.
Gupta highlighted several features of the new nine-metre-long electric buses, which include air conditioning, panic buttons, and real-time monitoring systems.
She defended the government's recent shift from paper tickets to smart cards, saying, 'When we removed paper tickets and moved to cards, AAP spread lies that women would no longer travel for free. But the move was only to curb corruption.'
Delhi transport minister Pankaj Singh, who was also present, accused the previous government of delaying the rollout of better public transport.
'These buses should have arrived by last monsoon, but the former government failed to deliver.
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Today, the BJP is fulfilling that promise,' he said.
He added that while earlier DEVI buses were green, this is the first time an entire fleet of orange-coloured electric buses has been introduced.
'This adds more vibrancy, and we will continue increasing their numbers, as we have been doing since the launch of the DEVI buses,' Singh said.
Delhi BJP leader Yogender Chandolia rejected AAP's claim that the initiative was merely a rebranding effort.
'If these were AAP's buses, they would have been on the roads months ago. These are new buses, purchased and brought in under the BJP. AAP never procured small electric buses – they reused old ones,' he said.
Chandolia also pointed out that the compact design of the new buses, with seating for 23 and standing room for 17 passengers, made them suitable for navigating Delhi's narrower roads. 'This is the real Rekha Gupta Model – clean, modern, and efficient public transport,' he said.
Currently, Delhi operates around 2,000 electric buses. Transport department officials said that the number is expected to rise further, with a target of 100% electrification of the bus fleet by 2027.