Mohalla bus survey begins in Delhi, service to roll out by April-end

Under the first phase, the mohalla buses are likely to serve east, north-east areas and rural parts of the city under the cluster scheme.

The Delhi government is likely to roll out its electric mohalla (neighbourhood) buses by the end of this month to improve last-mile connectivity, especially in densely populated and weak public transport connectivity areas, officials said on Monday.

At present, Delhi has 7,379 public buses, including 300 electric buses that ply on at least 600 bus routes. (HT Archive)

Under the first phase, the mohalla buses are likely to serve east, north-east areas and rural parts of the city under the cluster scheme, according to transport department officials familiar with the matter.

A survey to identify the most suitable routes for the same is underway, two transport department officials said.

The 9m-long air-conditioned buses, which were part of Delhi Budget 2023-24, will be free of cost for women. They will connect metro stations and commercial centres with different neighbourhoods.

“The scheme is unique and these buses will connect those neighbourhoods where the 12m buses cannot operate. Officials are studying passenger load, available space such areas, and the frequency of buses required,” said the two officials, both requesting anonymity.

At present, Delhi has 7,379 public buses.

Routes will be finalised only after the survey is complete, one of the officials said. “The final list will be submitted to the transport minister for approval, and the final routes will be decided accordingly,” said the official.

The mohalla bus scheme is part of the ₹3,500 crore allocation towards bus services this fiscal, and will fill the connectivity gap “in areas where 12m buses cannot operate”, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and transport minister Kailash Gahlot had said.

Among other features, the blue-coloued buses will have panic buttons, internal announcements of destinations, and may also have marshals, said officials, adding that its design is in the final stages. The tickets for the buses will be available through hand-held ticket vending machines, they said.

“It is an ambitious project under which the number of buses will continue to increase.Initially, the government plans to run 1,000 buses under the scheme, which may later increase up to 2,000 depending on its success,” said the second official.

Transport minister Kailash Gahlot said on Monday: “For the first time in the history of Delhi, a dedicated last-mile connectivity scheme called mohalla bus scheme is going to be launched. The routes are being finalised. We are going to initially start the mohalla bus scheme towards the end of April with 100 electric buses of a length of 9m. It will improve last-mile connectivity in underserved areas of Delhi.

The fare collection mechanism in the mohalla buses will be eventually integrated with the rest of the public transport system, and the common mobility card or One Delhi card will also be acceptable in the mohalla buses, the minister said on March 22.

The transport department, last year, carried out a scientific route rationalisation study and worked out an extensive set of last-mile routes to connect all major roads of Delhi’s Metro and bus network with residential colonies, commercial complexes and habitations. At present, Delhi has 7,379 public buses, including 300 electric buses that ply on at least 600 bus routes.

Gahlot also said that by the end of 2023, the number of electric buses in the city will go up to 1,900 (1,800 12m buses and 100 9m buses) — the largest fleet of electric buses among all the states — that will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 107,000 tonne. “By the end of 2025, Delhi will have a fleet of 10,480 buses,” Gahlot had said.

The Delhi government said that by 2025, 80% of the bus fleet in the Capital (8,280 buses) will be electric--making bus transport completely pollution-free. Gahlot said the anticipated expenditure for this massive induction plan of electric buses over the next 12 years is ₹28,556 crore. “As a result, around 460,000 tonne of carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced every year. This will help in significantly reducing pollution levels in the Capital,” said Gahlot.

Amit Bhatt, managing director (India) of International Council on Clean Transportation, said: “Feeder buses like the upcoming mohalla bus service is important because it provides a convenient and affordable mode of transportation for commuters to connect to other modes of transport like Metro. These services help to increase access to public transportation, reduce traffic congestion and air pollution, and improve overall mobility and connectivity for residents.”