Delhi to Procure 2,800 Electric Buses Under PM E-Drive Scheme
The Delhi transport department has prepared a proposal to procure 2,800 additional electric buses under the central government's PM E-Drive Phase 1 scheme, aiming to significantly expand the city's green public transport fleet. The proposal is currently awaiting financial clearance from the Delhi cabinet, with a decision expected within the next month.
Once approved, the new electric buses are scheduled to start arriving in Delhi by early 2027. Transport officials expect the entire batch to be fully operational by April 2027. This initiative will expand Delhi’s total electric bus fleet to approximately 8,000 vehicles.
Currently, the city operates more than 4,500 electric buses. The fleet is set to grow further with the addition of 300 more buses, which are expected to be inducted on July 7 during a program chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The upcoming procurement of 2,800 vehicles will feature two different bus sizes. Around 1,400 of the new vehicles will be smaller nine-metre buses, while the remaining 1,400 will be standard 12-metre buses. Officials stated that the smaller nine-metre buses are intended to improve connectivity on routes that experience lower passenger demand.
A senior transport department official confirmed that the cabinet note has been prepared and formally submitted for financial approval. The official noted that the induction schedule is designed to deploy the new buses as soon as they are delivered. This will allow the department to strengthen existing public transport routes and introduce services on new corridors.
The procurement process is supported by the central government’s PM E-Drive Phase 1 program, which provides financial assistance to cities for deploying electric buses.
Looking further ahead, the transport department has also requisitioned an additional 3,330 electric buses under Phase 2 of the PM E-Drive scheme. This separate proposal comprises 2,330 12-metre buses, 500 nine-metre buses, and 500 seven-metre buses. These Phase 2 vehicles are expected to begin arriving during 2028 and 2029, continuing the long-term expansion of Delhi's electric public transit network.
