Electric shuttle service for Delhi govt employees from November 3

The service will have six routes — four for central government employees and two for state government employees

The Delhi transport department will start an electric shuttle bus service for central and government employees from Friday, even as stage 2 of the Graded Action Response Plan (Grap) has been enforced in the National Capital Region, restricting the movement of some private vehicles.

The special shuttle service is being introduced to curtail air pollution in the Capital. (Sanchit Khanna/HT PhotoHindustan Times)

“Special shuttle service trips with electric buses have been prepared to promote public transport and discourage private vehicles by government employees to curb pollution,” said Ashish Kundra, Delhi transport secretary-cum-commissioner.

Officials said the shuttle service will begin from Kidwai Nagar and RK Puram to Central Secretariat for central government employees, and from Gulabi Bagh to the Delhi secretariat for state government employees — routes from official residential areas to the offices of both services.

The service, that will have six routes — four for central government employees and two for state government employees — will start at 8.30am and 9am, while the evening shuttle from office will start at 5.30pm and 6pm.

The fare of this service will be ₹25, and single journey pink pass and other admissible passes of the transport department are allowed, officials said. The transport department has also started a drive to check commercial heavy vehicles in the city.

“We penalised a few vehicles daily but we are apprehending and challaning around 50 overloaded trucks daily now. These overloaded trucks have been a major cause of road dust in Delhi. So far, over 150 trucks have been apprehended,” said a senior transport department official.

Additionally, action is also being taken against drivers who do not have a valid pollution under control (PUC) certificate. Officials said 6,000 people have been penalised for invalid PUCs since October 1, and the department may soon send text messages to vehicle owners whose PUC certificates have expired.