Delhi Approves 2,800 Electric Buses Under PM E-DRIVE

24 Jul 2026 CW Team

The Delhi Cabinet has approved the induction of 2,800 air-conditioned, low-floor electric buses under the first phase of the Centre's PM E-DRIVE scheme, with the first vehicles expected from April 2027. The fleet is expected to be integrated into the city's public transport network by August 2028 and will move the government towards a target of around 14,000 buses by 2028-29. The Centre will provide assistance of up to Rs 3.5 million (mn) for each 12-metre bus and Rs 2.5 million (mn) for every nine-metre bus.

Of the approved buses, 1,400 will be nine metres long and 1,400 will be 12-metre vehicles; the smaller models are for narrow roads and neighbourhood routes while the larger will serve high-demand corridors. Vehicles will feature air-conditioning, CCTV cameras, panic buttons and low-floor access, and routes will be rationalised with the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi to improve deployment and reduce duplication. The buses will operate for the Delhi Transport Corporation under a Gross Cost Contract in which private concessionaires own and maintain vehicles and are paid by the government on a per-kilometre basis.

Service contracts will run for 12 years. Delhi already had about 4,500 electric buses before a further 300 were inducted this month, taking the total close to 4,800, within an overall public-bus fleet of around 7,000. The government plans to retire ageing CNG buses and shift towards a predominantly electric fleet to improve last-mile connectivity.

An experimental Route 753 Ext has been introduced to provide direct connections from Janakpuri, Vikaspuri, Hastsal, Shiv Vihar, Uttam Nagar and Hari Nagar to Mori Gate, Kashmere Gate and the city railway stations. The service will be monitored before decisions on permanent scheduling and frequency. Officials said the expansion aligns with the Centre's energy-security strategy to reduce dependence on imported oil by accelerating electric vehicle adoption.

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