In-principle approval for procuring 1,000 electric buses: Delhi Govt to SC

The Delhi government today told the Supreme Court that "in-principle approval" has been given by the council of ministers for procurement of 1,000 low floor electric buses, which are expected to arrive from June-July 2019 onwards, to augment public transport here.

The city government told the court that they were also considering the possibility of using hydrogen powered fuel cell buses, which are of hybrid nature and considered cost-effective as compared to CNG or electric vehicles.

In an affidavit filed in the top court, the city government has said that Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) has been appointed as consultant for procurement of electric buses and time frame for setting up of charging stations for these vehicles would be about nine to 11 months from the date of award of contract for this.

The affidavit was filed as the apex court had on July 2 posed several questions to Delhi government, including on the time required to set up charging stations for electric buses. The issue had cropped up when the court was hearing a matter related to air pollution in the Delhi-National Capital Region.

The Delhi government said that details regarding nature, quality and description of electric buses, which would be about nine to 12 metres long, could be submitted before the court only after the consultant give its report to it.

The AAP government also said that its council of ministers had on July 11 given an in-principle approval for engagement of 1,000 low floor electric buses which would help in curbing air pollution in the national capital.

"The council of ministers has also approved the engagement of DIMTS as consultant for this project. The time frame for setting up of charging stations for electric buses will be about 9-11 months from the date of award of contract to the concessionaries who will induct pure electric buses. This is in consonance with the policy of GNCTD to combat air pollution in Delhi," it said.

On the possibility of using hydrogen powered fuel cell buses, it said that the issue was being considered by Delhi government.

"However, since this technology is presently at an evolving stage in the world and hydrogen powered fuel cell buses have not found large scale usages, it is difficult to reach to any definite conclusion at this stage," it said.

"Accordingly, it would be appropriate that the concerned ministries of Government of India, such as Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Heavy Industries etc may examine various aspects relating to the issue and lay down broader policy framework and road map for enabling the induction and running of hydrogen powered fuel cell buses in the NCT of Delhi," the affidavit said.

It further said that a pilot project in association with the research and development division of Indian Oil Corporation to conduct trial run of few number of existing buses on HCNG fuel, a blend of hydrogen gas and compressed natural gas, was also being worked out.

The Delhi government has also explained the reasons for non-utilization of the funds that were allocated for procurement of vehicles for public transport.

It said that in 2012-13, the Delhi government had released an amount of Rs 199.95 crore to the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) for purchase of buses but the fund was yet to be utilised.

"Thereafter, as DTC could not utilise these funds, in the revised estimates of the subsequent financial years 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2016-17, no allocation of funds was made for the purchase of buses by DTC even though the funds were allocated in the budget estimates for these years," it said.

"Further, Rs 150 crore have been allocated in the budget estimates for the year 2018-19 for purchase of buses by DTC," the affidavit said.

Earlier, a bench comprising justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta had asked the Delhi government to apprise the apex court about the nature and quality of electric buses and to ponder the possibility of using hydrogen fuel cell-powered buses.