Iconic U-Spl bus service to return in a modern avatar: CM Delhi

Launched in 1971 by the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), the U-Special – also known as the University Special or Youth Special

The Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday announced the return of the iconic U-Special buses – the signature green-and-yellow fleet that once defined college life for generations of Delhi University (DU) students. The revamped buses, which were discontinued in March 2020 during the Covid-19 lockdown, will now return with air-conditioning, music systems and other upgrades to cater to the city’s student commuters, the CM said.

The buses primarily ran between North Campus and various neighbourhoods across the city – from Rohini and Janakpuri to Mayur Vihar and Dwarka – with additional routes for colleges in South Campus. (HT Archive)

Gupta, a DU alumna herself, made the announcement at the inauguration of a new academic block at Social Centre School in Maurice Nagar. “We used to spend so much time on that bus – it was our own space, one that no one else could enter,” Gupta recalled. “Today, I am restarting the Youth Special service as a gift to students.”

Launched in 1971 by the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), the U-Special – also known as the University Special or Youth Special – was more than just a mode of transport. It was a part of the DU experience for millions of students nearly half a century. It ferried students from far-flung areas of Delhi to the north and south campuses of DU, becoming a cultural icon in the process.

The buses primarily ran between North Campus and various neighbourhoods across the city – from Rohini and Janakpuri to Mayur Vihar and Dwarka – with additional routes for colleges in South Campus. Long before the advent of the Metro, particularly the Vishwa Vidhayalaya station at North Campus, these buses were the most reliable connection to DU for students.

Rudrashish Chakraborty, currently a professor in Kirori Mal college, said from heated political debates to falling in love, the U-specials had witnessed it all.

“There was this excitement around the buses. They were the initiation of college life even before you entered the campus. Students from several colleges which were nearby would rush to meet each other so they could walk together and board the bus. Because students from various colleges and departments would board the bus together, I still remember how this was a very important part of my college life in terms of the stories we would exchange,” Chakraborty added.

Meanwhile, Rajesh Jha, another DU professor, shared, “While I stayed in a hostel, a friend of mine would sometimes drive me to the other end of the city at random from where I would board the bus. It was a silly waste of time but I would board the bus and come back to campus on time with the others and then rush to college. We just wanted to be a part of it!”

Jha added, “In fact, during the student elections, I would ride with my friends just so I could campaign. We did not have the budget for flyers or expensive posters, I would just use the bus ride to give speeches and have conversations with my fellow students.”

For many students, spotting the old green DTC bus with the hand-written “U-Spl” board – often scribbled in white chalk – was the highlight of the morning rush. Hundreds would gather at Patel Chest Institute or Vishwavidyalaya waiting for a bus that was faster and friendlier. The conductor’s role was largely ceremonial as most students used concessional passes and knew each other by face, if not by name.

Avdhesh Kumar, Joint Proctor of DU, said, “Sometimes the entire bus would be empty and all the students would be huddled at the gate of the bus, singing songs. Throughout the day, we would look forward to when our classes would end and we would get on the bus. We made friendships on those buses, ones that lasted a long time.”

The government has said that the rebooted service will not only retain this exclusive student-centric character but also improve on it. The new fleet will feature AC, LED lights and music systems. Gupta said the buses will run on routes tailored for DU students, although specific routes and launch dates are yet to be confirmed.

The announcement came during the inauguration of a new four-storey academic block at Social Centre School – a DU-run institution originally built in 1947. The renovated building, which now features 21 modern classrooms and laboratories, was completed in just 21 months at a cost of over ₹27 crore.

Delhi education minister Ashish Sood and DU vice chancellor Yogesh Singh were present at the event. “Coming to Delhi University is a nostalgic moment for me,” Sood said, recalling his own student days. “I see not bricks and cement in these buildings, but responsible citizens of a developed Delhi and Bharat.”

Towards the end of the ceremony, Sood also called on colleges to participate in the “Kude Se Azadi” (Freedom from Garbage) campaign and encouraged each college to adopt one public space to clean. “We should aim for a Guinness World Record on August 31,” he said.

Meanwhile, Singh urged students to embrace challenges and develop a solution-oriented mindset. “You have to become givers, not takers. Difficulties are a part of life — be problem solvers, not complainers,” he said.