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The Delhi Transport Department is set to expand its electric bus fleet by adding 2,080 new vehicles this year. Currently, around 7,000 buses operate in the capital, but nearly 1,000 of these are scheduled to be decommissioned due to aging, with some already retired from service.
A transport department official stated, “We have signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with five different concessionaires for the procurement of 1,040 electric buses. Agreements for the second batch of 1,040 buses will follow soon. These new buses will compensate for the shortfall created by the withdrawal of old vehicles.”
The first batch of 1,040 electric buses will be added under the National Electric Bus Programme (NEBP)—a central government initiative aimed at promoting electric buses nationwide. The second set will come under the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) scheme, which aims to deploy over 14,000 e-buses in nine major Indian cities with populations exceeding four million.
Officials are confident that all buses will be inducted by December, helping stabilize and strengthen Delhi’s public transportation system.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had earlier announced during her budget speech that urban transport projects in Delhi would receive Central funding to enhance public transit infrastructure. She said, “Around 5,500 buses will be maintained by the end of this year, and the total number of operational buses will reach 11,000 by 2026. Bus routes will also be reevaluated to address gaps in the system.”
Currently, Delhi operates 2,152 electric buses—1,752 under Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and 400 under the DIMTS Cluster Scheme.
With this initiative, Delhi aims to establish itself as a leading green mobility capital in India by making public transport more sustainable, accessible, and environmentally friendly.
