Delhi CM Rekha Gupta flags off 105 new e-buses, inaugurates Narela depot

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday flagged off 105 new orange-coloured DEVI (Delhi EV Inter-connector) electric buses and inaugurated a newly constructed depot in Narela’s Sector A9, describing it as a significant push toward greener and more efficient public transport in the capital.

The facility, built in just 90 days, reflects the BJP-led government’s commitment to rapid infrastructure delivery, Gupta said. “This depot is proof that when we promise something to the people of Delhi, we act on it,” she declared.

Taking a dig at the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) regime, the Chief Minister accused it of running the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) into the ground. “Under the earlier government, bus routes were cut, services reduced, and corruption took root,” she said, citing a CAG report to claim DTC incurred losses of Rs 65,000 crore during AAP’s tenure.

Gupta also criticised the implementation of the free bus ride scheme for women under AAP, calling it riddled with irregularities. “The panic buttons were installed only for show. When we introduced smart cards to replace paper tickets, AAP spread misinformation that it would end free rides for women. In reality, we did it to plug corruption,” she said.

The new nine-metre electric buses are fitted with air conditioning, panic buttons, and real-time monitoring systems. Each can seat 23 passengers, with standing room for 17, making them well-suited for Delhi’s narrow lanes.

Transport Minister Pankaj Singh, who joined Gupta at the event, accused AAP of delaying the bus rollout. “These buses should have been on the roads by last monsoon. It was the BJP that stepped in and delivered,” he said, adding that the shift from green to orange DEVI buses marks a new phase in the electric fleet’s expansion.

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Delhi BJP leader Yogender Chandolia dismissed opposition claims that the rollout was a mere rebranding of AAP-era projects. “If these were AAP’s buses, why weren’t they on the road earlier? These are new buses, bought under the BJP’s watch. AAP only recycled old vehicles,” he said. “This is the Rekha Gupta model—clean, modern and efficient public transport.”

Currently, Delhi operates nearly 2,000 electric buses. Officials said the government is on track to achieve 100% electrification of the city’s bus fleet by 2027.

(With inputs from PTI)