Delhi adds 40 e-buses, unveils revamped Azadpur depot linking to 21 routes

New Azadpur terminal gets solar panels, CCTV, digital guides and commuter facilities as govt expands e-bus fleet and begins modernising five depots with DMRC.

Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday flagged off 40 new electric buses and inaugurated the redeveloped Azadpur DTC bus terminal, which can now handle 116 buses across 21 routes, officials said. The launch is part of the Delhi government’s wider push to strengthen public transport and expand its electric bus fleet, officials said, adding the revamp of Azadpur terminal costed ₹XXXXX and took XXXX_month to finish.

CM Gupta flags off the newly redeveloped DTC bus terminal at Azadpur and launches 40 new electric buses on Tuesday. (HT Photo)

Gupta said her administration had added 1,400 electric buses in eight months. “The public chose change and the government has converted that mandate into development and service. Successive governments had neglected DTC… Our government is rebuilding DTC as a modern, financially robust organisation capable of delivering clean, reliable and comfortable transit,” she said.

The revamped Azadpur terminal includes modern waiting areas, shaded platforms, a baby-feeding room, lockers, bio-digesters, CCTV coverage, solar panels and other green-energy systems. Officials said the redesign aims to improve commuter comfort while supporting the expanding electric fleet.

The terminal is the first completed under the transport department’s plan to modernise five depots, Nehru Place, Najafgarh, Azadpur, Mehrauli and Narela, in collaboration with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). The two agencies signed an MoU in 2022.

Delhi transport minister Pankaj Kumar Singh said Delhi is witnessing “rapid improvements” in passenger amenities, safety and environmental standards. The 40 newly launched low-floor e-buses have air-conditioning, CCTV cameras, panic buttons and real-time GPS tracking, he said. Digital screens, clear signage and a public announcement system have also been installed at the terminal.

Separately, Gupta inaugurated a new district social welfare office near Azadpur Mandi to consolidate services for 15 Assembly constituencies. The centre will process pensions, scholarships and other schemes via the e-District portal. Social welfare minister Ravindra Indraj Singh said the ₹2.14-crore building replaces cramped offices earlier run from a Rohini school, enabling smoother public dealings and faster Direct Benefit Transfer-based delivery. [CHECK]