No.PR-122
November 29, 2018
New Delhi
DTC TO FLOAT TENDER TO PROCURE 1,000 E-VEHICLES BY JAN’19, SAYS ITS MD AT PHDCCI
Managing Director, Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), Mr Manoj Kumar on Thursday disclosed that DTC would float tenders to procure about 1,000 electric vehicles, possibly in the month of January 2019.
He also stated indicating that with the procurement of electric vehicles, these would begin to roll down on Delhi roads in the month of June 2019.
Speaking at a Conference on “Transforming Urban Mobility in India & Role of Electric Vehicles” under aegis of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) here today, Mr Kumar pointed out that the DTC’s current fleet which is in operation these days is of 5,500 buses that are fed with CNG fuel.
The DTC MD also informed that in the next three years if all goes well, the fleet of DTC vehicles of around 3,000 would be plying on Delhi roads whereas 1,000 electric buses will begun to run on national capital’s roads by June next year.
He, however, pointed out that in 2016 DTC on a trial basis successfully ran a few electric vehicles with each costing Rs.2.5 crore whereas a normal CNG fed bus costs around Rs.45 lakh against the low floor DTC bus costs of nearly Rs.80 lakh.
Mr Kumar also highlighted the fact that the Corporation is finding the cost of electric vehicles on higher side and requested the manufacturers to cut on cost so that more and more electric vehicles are plied not only on the roads of Delhi but also in other States so that the menace of pollution is contained an even rooted out.
Similarly, charging facilities should be widely available so that recharging does not become a problem or inconvenience for both operators and users, he concluded.
Speaking on the occasion Adviser (Transport) & Director General, Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO), NITI Aayog, Mr Anil Srivastava informed the India Inc. present on the occasion that the Centre and States are taking lot of interest and initiating policy measures to successfully launch electric vehicles and all arms of the government are engaging with the right stakeholders to make its launch conclusive as electric vehicles would be devoid of air and sound pollutions and the consumers would find it useful.
On the cost factor, Mr Srivastava also informed that an investment on one electric vehicle becomes yielding within a time span of six and half years.
Sr. Vice President, PHDCCI, Mr D K Aggarwal also appreciated the policy measures being initiated by government relating to e-mobility and felt that largely these would be successful in combating the pollution in general although other similar and alternate arrangements should also be put in place.
Among others who were present on the occasion comprised Chair, Roads, Ports & Other Infrastructure Committee, PHDCCI, Mr Ashish Mohan Wig; Chair and Co-Chair, Renewable & Alternate Energy Committee, PHDCCI, Mr Sanjeev Gupta and Dr J P Gupta and its Principal Director, Dr Ranjeet Mehta.
Ends.
Koteshwar Prasad Dobhal
Consultant (PR)