Delhi govt planning to set up ISBT at reclaimed land of Bhalswa landfill site

Delhi government is planning to set up an inter-state bus terminus over 20 acres of land at the Bhalswa landfill site, being reclaimed after removing the garbage dumped there.

After chairing a review meeting of his department on Tuesday, Transport Minister Pankaj Singh also announced that 200 new e-buses will join the existing transport fleet this month.

Singh, who reviewed the progress of key transport projects at the meeting, was briefed by officials that the government is planning to construct an interstate bus terminal (ISBT) at Bhalswa across about 20 acres of land, which is being reclaimed from the landfill site.

The proposed terminal is expected to significantly improve inter-state bus connectivity and passenger facilities in the northern part of the city, a transport department statement said.

The Bhalswa landfill is one of three garbage dumping sites that the Delhi government has targeted to remove by 2027, along with Ghazipur and Okhla.

The officials informed Singh that Delhi presently operates a fleet of more than 4,000 e-buses, and 200 additional electric buses will be inducted into the fleet during the current month.

The electric bus fleet is projected to reach 7,500 by the end of this year, marking a significant milestone in Delhi’s transition towards sustainable public transportation, the officials said.

The transport minister emphasised that strengthening Delhi’s electric vehicle (EV) fleet remains a key priority of the government under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.

“Our government is committed to modernising Delhi’s public transport system with a strong focus on electric mobility, better infrastructure and improved commuter facilities,” Singh said.

Electric charging infrastructure has already been established at 44 bus depots across Delhi, the statement said.

Additionally, under the PM e-Drive Phase I and II initiatives, EV charging networks are currently being developed at 36 depots, which will further support the expansion of Delhi’s electric bus fleet in the coming months, it said.

The transport minister also directed the officials for feasibility assessment to develop a new DTC depot along the Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) corridor, considering the rapid urban expansion and growing demand for transport in the region.

In addition, Singh also instructed the concerned officials to undertake the upgradation of the existing bus depot in Burari to enhance operational efficiency and support the expanding electric bus fleet.

The officials also informed the minister that the recently launched automated testing stations (ATS) at Nand Nagri and Tehkhand are expected to become operational in April.