1,400 buses flagged off in just eight months: Delhi CM

New Delhi, Nov 18 (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday flagged off 40 electric buses and accused the previous AAP government of not working to address the pollution issue in the national capital.

She inaugurated the newly redeveloped state-of-the-art DTC bus terminal at Azadpur.

She said every transformation visible in Delhi today is the result of the people’s trust and mandate.

"The public chose change, and the government has converted that mandate into development and service," she said.

Highlighting the achievements of her government, she said that in eight months, they have given 1,400 electric buses, while the previous government could provide only 2,000 buses in 11 years.

"For years, Delhi was tangled in hundreds of problems, there were no solutions, only an advertisement-driven government. We do so much work every day, yet we don't even put up boards," she said.

"The previous government did not work on pollution. They did not carry out a plantation drive under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign, and Delhi is paying the price for it," she alleged.

Referring to AAP dispensation's "irregularities" and "flawed policies" that weakened the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), she said the current government is determined to rebuild DTC as a "strong, efficient and financially sound organisation".

Modern bus terminals, advanced electric buses and enhanced connectivity will ensure safer, cleaner and more comfortable travel for all commuters, she added.

Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh said the redevelopment of the Azadpur Bus Terminal marks a significant milestone in strengthening public transport network in the city.

He added that the redeveloped terminal is equipped with modern waiting areas, a baby-feeding room, a bus pass section, lockers, passenger utilities, shaded platforms, solar panels, CCTV surveillance, bio-digesters, and green energy systems.

The work of modernisation and redevelopment of this bus terminal of DTC at Azadpur was entrusted to DMRC through an MoU, he said.

The Azadpur Bus Terminal is located adjacent to the GT Karnal Road. It is in close proximity to the Azadpur metro station and is integrated through a foot overbridge.

The terminal has been designed for the halting of six buses at a time for the commuting of passengers and will allow 72 buses per hour during peak demand, with a five-minute halt time.

A total of 116 buses, most of them electric, will operate from this terminal across 21 major routes.

The total area of the bus terminal is 2,616 square metres. There are three entry gates to the terminal building. PTI SLB APL APL