DTC aims for 75% EV fleet by 2025, sets out to up charging infrastructure

The study is being conducted by the senior-most officials of DTC, who are also looking into the possible recruitment of EV engineers or specialists.

The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) aims to own 4,125 electric buses (75% of its mandated fleet size of 5,500 buses) by 2025, and has commissioned a study to assess the human resources that will be required to operate the e-buses at this scale and manage its depots, all of which will be upgraded with EV (electric vehicle) charging infrastructure.

Delhi currently has 6,894 buses, of which 3,761, including an electric bus, come under DTC and 3,133 under the cluster scheme. (Picture for representation only/HT)

“The DTC aims to make sure that 75% of its mandated fleet size of 5,500 is electric buses. The state public transport utility has formed a committee to study the scope of work the e-buses will demand,” a senior transport official said, requesting anonymity.

The study is being conducted by the senior-most officials of DTC, who are also looking into the possible recruitment of EV engineers or specialists. If the need arises, the DTC is open to changing clauses in its recruitment rules in order to hire specialists, the official quoted above added. The panel is also working on recommending training modules for the existing staff.

“Even though the new e-buses will be maintained by the concessionaire, DTC officials will still have to supervise and monitor them to ensure quality checks. Now, the committee is assessing what kind of training depot managers and inspection officers will need to be able to identify problems in electric buses and come up with timely solutions,” a senior DTC official said, requesting anonymity.

As of now, Delhi has 150 electric buses. The entire fleet is being operated by the DTC. By the end of 2023, the DTC will have 1,800 e-buses, including the 1,500 buses which are being procured by the Delhi government under the Centre’s Grand Challenge scheme at a cost of about ₹7,100 crore. They will start operating next year. Apart from this, 150 of 300 e-buses are currently operational and some of the other 150 have started arriving. The 150 new e-buses deployed in Delhi are expected to run for 108 million km and save 43.2 million kg of fossil fuel.