Latest news with #MohallaBuses'
The Print
03-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
CM Gupta rebranded AAP's Mohalla Buses project to take undue credit, says Bharadwaj; BJP hits back
A day after Chief Minister Rekha Gupta inaugurated 400 new electric buses under the DEVI project to provide connectivity to areas inaccessible by standard 12-metre buses, AAP's Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj termed it a 'blatant attempt to mislead the public'. The BJP hit back, saying the AAP failed to put the buses on roads despite inaugurating them. New Delhi, May 3 (PTI) The AAP on Saturday accused the BJP government of repackaging the Atishi-led dispensation's electric 'Mohalla Buses' project, inaugurated last October, as Delhi Electric Vehicle Initiative (DEVI) to take 'undue credit'. 'The BJP is re-inaugurating the same Mohalla buses that were flagged off by the AAP government last year. This is a blatant attempt to mislead the public and take credit for a scheme that was already operational,' he claimed. Responding to the allegations, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the remarks made by Bharadwaj reflected 'political desperation' and a tendency to 'mislead' the public. He said the AAP government failed to deploy the buses even after inaugurating them, while the BJP government followed legal procedures and ensured their rollout to prevent disruptions in public transport. Bharadwaj said the electric 'Mohalla Buses' project was launched in October 2024 with a contract awarded to the Central government entity CESL to maintain transparency and prevent any corruption allegations. However, the buses did not meet the 50 per cent 'Make in India' compliance required under the tender norms at the time and hence were not certified, the former Delhi minister said. 'If the buses were non-compliant in October, how did they suddenly become compliant in April 2025? Or did the BJP government simply ignore the tender rules and put the buses on the roads for the sake of optics?' he asked. Bharadwaj demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter, calling it a potential scam involving thousands of crores of rupees. 'We need to investigate whether this irregularity occurred at the level of officials or under political direction.' Delhi BJP chief Sachdeva said that the Atishi-led government hastily announced the launch of the buses under the 'Mohalla Bus' scheme before completing technical and documentation formalities. In contrast, the BJP government initiated the certification process, secured safety affidavits from the supplier, and deployed the buses in the public interest, he said. After flagging off the 400 battery-operated buses, CM Gupta said that 2,080 more electric buses will be added to the fleet by the end of this year. The DEVI buses are equipped with CCTV cameras, live tracking, panic buttons, and motorised ramps for passengers with disability. These vehicles also feature retractable steps at a low height of 40 cm to ease boarding and alighting. PTI MHS KVK KVK This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
The Hindu
03-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
AAP alleges ‘major scam' in DEVi buses, seeks CBI probe
A political row erupted in the Capital over the launch of 400 Delhi Electric Vehicle Interconnector (DEVi) buses, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday alleging a 'major scam' in the procurement process and demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. Addressing a press conference, AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed the buses, flagged off by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday, were the same 'Mohalla Buses' procured by AAP when it was in power in October 2024, but were shelved for violating the 50% 'Make in India' clause. 'If they were non-compliant then, how are they compliant now? Were the parts replaced? Was there a new tender? Or did compliance just magically happen?' Mr. Bharadwaj said. He accused the BJP government of corruption, saying, 'We don'tyet know if the wrongdoing was at the bureaucratic or political level, but this warrantsa CBI investigation. This involves thousands of crores in public money.' 'This is just like the water tanker episode. The BJP is falsely claiming credit for what was already done,' he said. The BJP dismissed the allegations as AAP's 'political desperation'.Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said AAP had itself launched the buses without completing the due certification and documentation. 'When the buses arrived under the DEVi Yojana, technical formalities were pending. AAP rushed the launch ahead of elections but never put them on the road,' he said.
India Today
03-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
AAP accuses BJP of repackaging Mohalla Buses project as DEVI in Delhi
The Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday accused the BJP government of repackaging the Atishi-led dispensation's electric 'Mohalla Buses' project, inaugurated last October, as Delhi Electric Vehicle Initiative (DEVI) to take "undue credit".No immediate response was available from the BJP over the opposition party's allegations.A day after Chief Minister Rekha Gupta inaugurated 400 new electric buses under the DEVI project to provide connectivity to areas inaccessible by standard 12-metre buses, AAP's Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj termed it a "blatant attempt to mislead the public".advertisement "The BJP is re-inaugurating the same Mohalla buses that were flagged off by the AAP government last year. This is a blatant attempt to mislead the public and take credit for a scheme that was already operational," he said the electric 'Mohalla Buses' project was launched in October 2024 with a contract awarded to the Central government entity CESL to maintain transparency and prevent any corruption the buses did not meet the 50 per cent 'Make in India' compliance required under the tender norms at the time and hence were not certified, Bharadwaj said."If the buses were non-compliant in October, how did they suddenly become compliant in April 2025? Or did the BJP government simply ignore the tender rules and put the buses on the roads for the sake of optics?" he demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter, calling it a potential scam involving thousands of crores. "We need to investigate whether this irregularity occurred at the level of officials or under political direction."After flagging off the 400 battery-operated buses, Delhi CM Gupta said that 2,080 more electric buses will be added to the fleet by the end of this DEVI buses are equipped with CCTV cameras, live tracking, panic buttons, and motorised ramps for passengers with disability. These vehicles also feature retractable steps at a low height of 40 cm to ease boarding and alighting.
New Indian Express
23-04-2025
- Automotive
- New Indian Express
Launch of Delhi e-buses put off due to mourning for Pope
NEW DELHI: The city government postponed the launch of the Delhi Electric Vehicle Interchanges (DEVI) on Tuesday following the Centre's declaration of national mourning in the wake of the passing of Pope Francis. The Delhi Transport Department officials said the inauguration will be announced with a revised date soon. DEVI buses, which were earlier proposed to be named 'Mohalla Buses' by the previous AAP government, will soon hit the road. These buses were undergoing trial runs on half a dozen routes over the past few months. In its first phase, 76 buses will be operated from three depots — Nangli, East Vinod Nagar, and Ghazipur. Each bus is designed to seat 23 passengers, with an additional standing capacity for 13 individuals. Importantly, six seats will be reserved for women, and 25 per cent of the total seating will be made available free of cost under the Delhi government's Pink Pass scheme, aimed at encouraging safer and more affordable travel for women. The buses are powered by a battery system comprising six battery packs with a combined energy capacity of 196 kWh. A full charge can be completed in 45 minutes, providing a driving range of up to 200 km— sufficient for a full day's operations within city limits. The first operational route under the DEVI scheme, labelled MS-1, is planned to connect Akshardham Metro Station with the Mayur Vihar Phase-3 Paper Market. Key stops along this corridor include densely populated residential and commercial zones such as Trilokpuri, Kalyanpuri, and Ghazipur, offering much-needed connectivity to underserved areas. The fare structure will mirror that of the capital's existing fleet of air-conditioned buses, with tickets priced at Rs 10, Rs 15, Rs 20, and Rs 25 depending on the distance travelled.
Hans India
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Delhi govt puts off launch of 330 electric buses due to mourning on demise of Pope Francis
The Delhi government on Tuesday postponed its launch of 330 electric buses due to the national mourning on the demise of Pope Francis. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said a new date for the launch under the Delhi Electric Vehicle Interconnector (DEVI) scheme would be announced soon. In a message on social media site X, CM Gupta said, 'Due to the national mourning declared by the Government of India on the demise of His Holiness Pope Francis, the launch of electric buses under the DEVI scheme has been postponed. The new date will be announced soon.' The launch of the new fleet of nine-metre green mini-buses was planned to be a major step towards revolutionising the national capital's public transport sector and counter pollution. The now-postponed launch was to be presided over by Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav. Before deciding to delay the launch, CM Rekha said in a social media post, 'On this #EarthDay, we are taking a transformative step towards a greener future with the launch of 330 new electric buses under the #DEVI initiative...' 'This is our sincere effort to make Delhi's journey cleaner, safer, and more sustainable for generations to come. Join us today as we celebrate this historic milestone. Your support matters- together, let's drive Delhi towards a greener and healthier tomorrow!' she said. The green-coloured buses, which were earlier proposed to be named 'Mohalla Buses' by the previous AAP government, will soon hit the road. These buses were undergoing trial runs on half a dozen routes over the past few months. On the eve of the now-postponed launch, Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Singh said that the free travel facility for women shall continue in the new buses, which will follow the existing fare rates followed in the bigger 12-metre-long buses. The mini-electric bus service, christened DEVI, promise to offer relief to citizens living in congested areas as these mini-buses are capable of moving easily on narrow roads. Each DEVI bus will have 23 seats and space for 13 standing passengers. With routes not longer than 12 km and a charging time of less than an hour, the DEVI buses, modelled on Delhi Metro's feeder buses, are likely to bring commuters from interior streets to wider arterial roads that are serviced by Delhi Transport Corporation's longer 12-metre buses. Officials said the first batch of Devi buses will operate from the Ghazipur, Nangloi and East Vinod Nagar depots.
