New Delhi:
Delhi cabinet on Friday approved the proposal for engagement of 300 low floor fully electric air conditioned buses by the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC).
The induction of 300 electric buses by DTC at a time is one of the largest engagements of electric buses by any State Government or State Transport Undertaking (STU). The lowest bidder is M/s. JBM which has quoted Rs.68.58 per km. The second-lowest bidder, M/s. Tata Motors, has agreed to match the rate quoted by M/s. JBM. Under the tender conditions, M/s. JBM shall operate 200 buses, while 100 buses shall be operated by M/s. Tata Motors.
Under the scheme, the buses would be able to operate a minimum 140 km in a single charge. Further the operator will provide the driver and DTC will depute its own conductor in the buses. The operator will be responsible for maintaining the buses or battery throughout the concession period of 10 years.
Similarly, the replacement of the battery will be the obligation of the operator, which is generally done after 5 years. The cost of electricity consumption for the operation of these buses will be borne by DTC on actual buses up to an energy efficiency of 1.4 kwh/km. However, according to the proposal, the amount towards excess consumption of electricity for more than 1.4 kwh/km efficiency will be recovered from the Operator on an annual consumption basis. The cost of charging infrastructure, including the cost of charging equipment and transformer, etc, shall be borne by the operator. DTC will provide an electric connection up to the depot from the nearest grid. The operator will be free to use a fast or slow charger but will have to operate the buses for at least 200 km per day.
“Prototype of buses is likely to be received by DTC in June 2021. The first lot of 118 buses shall arrive in October 2021, while November will see the addition of 100 buses. 60 buses will arrive in December, while the remaining 20 buses are likely to be received by January 2022. The buses shall be parked at the Subhash Place Depot, Mayapuri Depot, Rohini-II Depot, Rajghat-II Depot and Mundela Kalan Depot,” Delhi government said in a communiqué.
Delhi’s Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot in a statement said “Under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal, we have been taking a lot of measures to ensure sustainable and state-of-the-art transport facilities and a switch to electric non-polluting modes. In fact, electric buses are being introduced in Delhi for the first time and this is one of the largest engagements of electric buses by any state government or State Transport Undertaking. Soon we will have electric buses running on Delhi roads.”
