Rekha Flags Off 400 Electric Buses Under Devi Scheme

Time of India

02-05-2025

New Delhi: Delhi CM Rekha Gupta on Friday flagged off 400 electric buses under the Delhi Electric Vehicle Interconnector (Devi) scheme and said that an additional 2,080 electric buses would come by year-end. The newly launched nine-metre small buses will primarily serve areas where bigger twelve-metre buses could not go.
In its first phase, over 400 Devi compact buses were introduced across East Delhi and West Delhi, covering areas such as Ghazipur, Vinod Nagar East, and Nangloi. Each Devi bus will have 23 seats, with six seats reserved exclusively for women, and the capacity to accommodate 13 standing passengers.
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The fare structure will range between ₹10 and ₹25, while all Delhi women passengers will be able to travel for free. The buses are scheduled to operate at regular intervals of every 10 minutes, making urban travel more reliable and accessible, said a senior official.
The Devi initiative has modern Intelligent Transport Management System technologies integrated, with the buses featuring GPS tracking, automatic passenger counting, digital route displays, voice announcement systems, CCTV surveillance, panic buttons, wheelchair ramps, and knee-down flooring for easy access.
"The Devi buses will be pivotal in reducing pollution in Delhi. Our aim is to ensure that every citizen has access to public transport close to where they live. The Devi service will not only provide relief from pollution but also significantly improve convenience. By enhancing
last-mile connectivity
, we aim to simplify daily life for every Delhi citizen," she said.
Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who was also present at the launch, said, "The central govt, Delhi govt, and local bodies are working as one team; this is the true strength of a 'triple-engine' govt."
"By the end of this year, we will add another 2,080 EV buses to serve the people — a significant step toward a cleaner, smarter, and safer transport system," he added.
Gupta further stated that pollution in Delhi was a serious concern, with around 45% of it attributed to vehicular emissions. In response, Delhi govt resolved to transition the entire public transport network to 100% electric. She shared the story behind the name, Devi, stating, "Delhi has always been blessed with the divine grace of Maa Durga. Despite many disasters and challenges, this city has always stood resilient and continued to grow. It is in honour of this spirit of faith and strength that we have named these new electric buses 'Devi'."
Minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh said, "Guided by the vision of PM Narendra Modi for a Viksit Delhi, we are deploying 400 Devi electric buses on the city's roads today. This is a concrete step towards clean, safe, and accessible public transport. These buses will improve connectivity for every citizen — from homes to metro stations, schools, hospitals, and workplaces."
AAP's Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj said, "First they renamed Mohalla Clinics as 'Arogya Mandirs', now they're calling Mohalla Buses 'Devi'. This is nothing but theft of Arvind Kejriwal govt's work."
"Instead of changing names, BJP should focus on real work; How long will they survive on Kejriwal govt's achievements," he said.
"The Centre blocked 300 Mohalla Buses from running for six months; And now, Rekha Govt wants to rename them and claim credit," said AAP MLA Sanjeev Jha.