An internal assessment conducted by the Delhi government has uncovered a significant trend: commuters are increasingly choosing smaller buses to navigate the capital's congested roads. This finding is now driving a major change in the city's public transport procurement strategy.
Why Smaller Buses Are Gaining Traction
A senior transport department official explained that the nine-metre-long electric buses, introduced under the Delhi Electric Vehicle Interconnector (Devi) scheme, have demonstrated superior effectiveness on tight routes. These compact vehicles excel at maneuvering through narrow lanes, navigating sharp turns, and operating in densely populated neighborhoods that characterize older parts of Delhi.
Traffic bottlenecks are widespread, particularly in older parts of the city, the official noted. The larger, 12-metre-long buses frequently encounter operational hurdles on most routes, with the exception of broader corridors like the Outer Ring Road. The strategic shift towards smaller buses is designed to enhance service reliability and boost overall operational efficiency.
An added advantage is the cost benefit. A 12-metre e-bus costs approximately Rs 1.5 crore, while the smaller nine-metre variant comes at a reduced price of roughly Rs 1 crore.
Phasing Out Old Fleet and New Procurement Plans
The transport department is actively working towards inducting a total of 5,780 electric buses. This allocation includes 2,840 buses for the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and 2,940 for the Cluster scheme. Meanwhile, the phase-out of older CNG buses is underway.
Currently, 2,442 CNG buses are still operational, which includes 692 under DTC. These are slated to be retired by the end of this year. An additional 1,750 CNG buses under the Cluster scheme will be gradually phased out by the 2030-31 financial year.
All bus purchases are channeled through Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL), which handles the tendering process. Reflecting the new strategy, out of 2,800 buses requested in the current procurement phase, half (1,400) are the nine-metre models. The government plans to continue this emphasis in the next order for 1,200 buses, seeking around 800 of the smaller size.
Safety Concerns and Future Roadmap
The official highlighted that this shift aligns with Delhi's larger objectives of fleet modernization and promoting electric mobility. It addresses a practical issue: while buses are packed during peak morning and evening hours, the bigger buses often run with many empty seats at other times.
In the long term, this approach will help reduce waiting times for commuters and improve last-mile connectivity, the official stated. However, the department clarified that 12-metre buses will continue to serve busier corridors and newly inaugurated interstate routes.
The review also brought safety issues to the fore. The increasing number of accidents involving Devi buses was flagged in a recent meeting. Officials have been instructed to initiate a driver sanitization program. Notable recent incidents include:
- A collision at the Shadipur depot on June 21, which resulted in the death of a pedestrian.
- An accident in Vishwas Nagar on October 14, where a speeding bus with failed brakes crashed into multiple vehicles, injuring at least five people.
- An August incident in east Delhi where a Devi bus caused a multi-vehicle collision, leading to the death of an auto-rickshaw driver.
The government's recalibrated strategy represents a data-driven response to on-ground realities, aiming to create a more agile, cost-effective, and commuter-friendly public transport system for Delhi.
