Delhi CM flags off e-buses, lays foundation for test station

New Delhi: Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday flagged off 50 electric buses and laid the foundation stone of an automated vehicle testing station at Tehkhand, asserting her government is committed to solving the air pollution problem in Delhi.

She said that while resolving the city's problems may require time, the government has a clear policy and firm intent to address each issue. Delhi currently has over 1.53 crore registered vehicles. Approximately 6.5 lakh commercial vehicles require fitness tests each year.

However, with only one operational automated test centre at Jhuljhuli, only 47,919 vehicles are being tested annually. The Tehkhand depot centre, with a capacity to test the fitness of 73,000 vehicles annually, will help narrow the gap, said a statement from the Delhi CMO.

The chief minister pointed out that her government added 1,350 new e-buses after coming to power eight months ago, asserting it was a record progress compared to just 2,000 e-buses inducted in the public transport fleet of the city in the 11 years of the previous regime.

These steps, she noted, will greatly enhance Delhi's environmental quality and transport efficiency in the coming years.

The new fitness test centre at Tehkhand will play a crucial role in reducing pollution in the city, Gupta said and added that commercial vehicles are among the biggest contributors to pollution in Delhi. Work on another automated testing station at Nand Nagri is rapidly nearing completion, she said.

Meanwhile, the existing vehicle testing centres at Burari and Jhuljhuli are being upgraded with state-of-the-art technology and modern standards. After the upgradation, the capacity will be enhanced to one lakh vehicles per year in Delhi, said the statement.