Lack of infra delays rollout of e-buses, says transport dept

Officials said the launch was delayed because the charging infrastructure for these buses is still not ready and is likely to take at least another three more months to be commissioned.

The roll-out of the first batch of electric buses in Delhi, scheduled for November this year, has been delayed by about two months, senior officials privy to the matter said on Tuesday. Now, Delhi is likely to get its first set of e-buses only by January 2022.

DTC’s first electric bus was launched in 2016. A total of 300 e-buses are being procured by the DTC. (Virendra Singh Gosain/Hindustan Times)

Officials said the launch was delayed because the charging infrastructure for these buses is still not ready and is likely to take at least another three more months to be commissioned. Also, the two manufacturing companies that are to provide the e-buses are yet to show their final prototypes to the Delhi government, which is another reason for the launch being pushed to January.

A total of 300 e-buses are being procured by the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), a first in the national capital. Of these 300 e-buses, 200 are to be provided by JBM while the remaining 100 will be manufactured by Tata Motors.

“The induction of 300 electric buses by the DTC at one go will be the largest engagement of its type by any state transporter in the country. There will be a slight delay of about two months because the depots are still undergoing all refurbishments. The power department and discoms have sought more time as setting up the charging infrastructure involves the laying of heavy duty lines,” said a senior DTC official, on condition of anonymity.

The depots that are being readied with the adequate charging infrastructure include the Subhash Place depot, Mayapuri depot, Rohini-2 depot, Rajghat-2 depot and Mundela Kalan depot.

Under the scheme, the buses will operate a minimum of 140km in a single charge. The operator will provide the driver and the DTC will depute its conductor on these buses. The operator will also be responsible for maintaining buses/batteries throughout the concessionary period of 10 years. The cost of electricity consumption will be borne by the DTC, officials said.

Apart from that, last month, the Delhi government gave its go-ahead for procurement of another 465 e-buses under the cluster scheme — buses are run by private operators — and tenders are expected to be floated soon, a senior transport department officer said. The Delhi government intends to procure at least 1,000 e-buses under the cluster scheme and 300 under the DTC.