Delhi inducts 500 electric buses and launches Panipat service

New Delhi: Delhi on Sunday inducted 500 electric buses into the DTC fleet, pushing the e-bus count beyond 4,000, the highest in any state, according to data shared by the CMO. The buses were flagged off from Ramlila Maidan by chief minister Rekha Gupta and BJP national president Nitin Nabin. An inter-state electric bus service between Delhi and Panipat was also launched, aimed at commuters travelling between the capital and Haryana's industrial towns. Officials said the service covers around 86 km and passes through the Singhu border, Murthal, Samalkha and other areas. Timings were scheduled in the morning and evening to cater to officegoers and industrial workers. Chief minister Gupta said the focus of govt was on expanding public transport capacity and reducing pollution. She said govt plans to increase the number of electric buses to 7,500 by the end of 2026 and 14,000 by 2028. Delhi has now overtaken Maharashtra in the number of registered electric buses, with 4,286 currently on the road, compared to Maharashtra's 4,001, as per data from the Vahan dashboard of the ministry of road transport and highways (Feb 2026). The chief minister said govt was also working on a comprehensive EV policy to strengthen charging infrastructure and ensure smooth operations. She said pending EV subsidies worth Rs 40 crore, announced by previous govt, were cleared. Govt is also working on pink cards and mobility cards for women to make public transport more accessible and affordable. BJP national president Nitin Nabin said the completion of one year of the BJP govt marked a shift towards execution-led governance. "Public transport is an area where results are visible on the ground," he said. "Earlier, large hoardings were put up and grand events were organised, but those remained only on paper. In contrast, BJP govt has initiated genuine change by actually deploying electric buses on the ground," he added. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the expansion of the e-bus fleet would improve frequency, safety and comfort for commuters. Transport minister Pankaj Kumar Singh said the Delhi–Panipat service would strengthen regional connectivity. Local development report card Later in the day, chief minister Gupta marked one year of the BJP govt by launching development work in Shalimar Bagh. According to the CMO, projects worth around Rs 250 crore were initiated or completed in the constituency over the past year. These included road and drain upgrades, park redevelopment, improved street lighting, healthcare facilities and community infrastructure. Gupta said govt's assessment should be based on the changes visible at the neighbourhood level. She added that several long-pending civic issues were taken up during the year.