The Delhi government, sources from multiple departments claimed on Tuesday, was awaiting the return of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to sign off the public transportation project proposed by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government since it came to power three years ago.
A note related to procurement of fleet of electric buses had been prepared but was yet to receive a nod from the Delhi Cabinet, said sources, adding that there has not been a meeting since late last month. Mr. Sisodia is currently attending a 10-day vipassana session in Rajasthan. He had announced this on April 22.
The Transport Department was given a month to prepare a plan to ensure that 1,000 such buses, priced between ₹2 crore to ₹2.5 crore each, hit the streets a year from now, said sources. The Delhi government’s own timeline to pass the proposal was April 30. Mr. Sisodia’s budget speech stated that a timeline of April 30, 2018, had been set for “approval of Council of Ministers to engage/procure 1,000 low floor electric buses through cluster scheme/DTC”. A note for the purpose was circulated among the Planning and Finance Departments, procured their respective comments and is now awaiting a nod from the Cabinet, said sources. Also, it sought permission to hire a consultant for creation of the fleet which, going by his budget speech, is to be accomplished by June 1, said sources.
Apart from the fact that a project consultant is yet to be appointed, the other challenge includes availability of charging points for these vehicles. Just two depots, one each at East Vinod Nagar and Bawana, which will be equipped with 11 kV substations to provide charging facilities have been proposed so far. The initial plan was to roll out 100 such buses with gradual additions of 50 more based on their operational cost and popularity. However, the size was subsequently increased to 500, followed by a reduction to 200. It has now has been kept at 1,000.
HC puts brake
Given that the total outlay for transport and road infrastructure combined was set at ₹5,145 crore this fiscal, more than half of this corpus will need to be dedicated solely for the creation of the 1,000-strong fleet of electric buses, sources said. The High Court had in November put brakes on the proposal to use ₹400 crore of the ₹700 crore Environment Compensation Charge fund the to purchase 500 electric buses.
