Delhi govt begins 15-day assessment drive to introduce 'mohalla buses' on city roads

The Delhi government has begun a 15-day assessment drive to identify the need for introducing small-size electric 'mohalla buses' across the city and also determine their routes, officials said on Thursday.

The assessment begins Thursday and will continue till June 15, with 23 technical teams being deployed in different areas to conduct the study, the transport department said in a statement.

“The Delhi government is taking significant strides towards transforming the city's public transportation system with the introduction of small-size electric mohalla buses on the national capital's roads. In a bid to identify the need for these services across various locations in Delhi and determine the most suitable routes, the transport department has started a comprehensive ground assessment exercise,” it said.

The Arvind Kejriwal government has plans to procure over 2,000 feeder buses that will operate on routes not accessible by 12-metre buses.

In a statement, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said the move will also further enhance first and last-mile connectivity for bus users.

"Never before has Delhi procured 2,000 plus feeder buses. The smaller size 9-metre buses shall operate on routes not accessible by 12-metre buses. By constituting teams across the city for taking feedback from people, we are ensuring that all important routes are covered by these mohalla buses, connecting key places and points of interest in the city," he said.

The dedicated teams will also visit high-potential metro stations, bus terminals, stops, and various localities in Delhi as part of the mandate. Their primary focus will be analysing several aspects, including travel demand assessment and road network.

The AAP government said the teams will evaluate the demand for last-mile connectivity in each area and study the preferences of residents regarding transportation modes for such connectivity.

The teams will assess the feasibility of available roads in each locality, including factors such as road width, encroachments, and operational constraints. They will also study the availability of shared e-rickshaws, autos, and other para-transit options in each area.

“The data collected during this exercise will be digitised and utilised to determine the origin and destination of the proposed mohalla bus services in each locality,” the statement said.

The mohalla bus scheme was initially announced in the budget speech by Gahlot, who also holds the finance portfolio. The scheme intends to deploy 9-metre-long electric buses to provide neighbourhood or feeder bus services.

The government led by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) plans to introduce a total of 2,180 such buses by 2025, specifically designed to cater to areas where road width is limited or where overcrowding prevents regular 12-metre buses from operating.

With the introduction of the mohalla bus services and the meticulous analysis of ground-level data, Delhi is poised to witness a transformation in the way its citizens travel within the city, promising greater convenience, accessibility, and sustainability, officials added.