CM Rekha Gupta flags off 150 electric buses, launches EV charging hubs
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
As Delhi braces for another winter pollution season, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta took the fight against air pollution to Anand Vihar on Tuesday, 13 October 2026 — one of the city's most notorious air quality hotspots — flagging off 150 new electric buses into the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) fleet and simultaneously inaugurating public EV charging stations at five key locations across the capital.
Anand Vihar to the frontlines of Delhi's clean-air push
Anand Vihar, a dense east Delhi transport hub whose air quality monitoring station routinely flashes 'severe' readings each winter, was the deliberate choice for today's review. Chief Minister Gupta was joined by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav for an on-ground inspection of pollution-reduction works and systems under the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan — the BJP's campaign for reviewing public infrastructure delivery. The joint central-state presence signals coordinated intent ahead of the season when Delhi's PM2.5 levels regularly spike to dangerous highs.
Posting on X, CM Gupta stated: 'Under the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan, today I reviewed the various works and arrangements being made to reduce pollution in Anand Vihar and surrounding areas along with Union Environment Minister Shri Bhupender Yadav ji. Additionally, 150 new electric buses were flagged off into the DTC fleet and public EV charging stations were inaugurated at five prominent locations.'
150 electric buses and five charging stations — the numbers behind the rollout
The 150 electric buses inducted today expand DTC's green fleet in a direct push to displace high-emission diesel vehicles from Delhi's roads. Vehicular exhaust remains one of the largest contributors to the city's chronic PM2.5 pollution load, making the bus transition a front-line intervention rather than a symbolic one. The simultaneous launch of five public EV charging stations addresses a key barrier to private EV adoption — range anxiety driven by sparse charging infrastructure.
Delhi's Electric Vehicle Policy, 2020 had set explicit targets for electric bus induction and charging infrastructure build-out. Today's rollout represents a visible acceleration of that roadmap, backed by central schemes including FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles) which have channelled funds toward state-level fleet electrification across India.
Who was on the ground at Anand Vihar
The event drew senior political presence beyond the two principals. Delhi BJP State President and Union Minister of State Harsh Malhotra, Cabinet colleague Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Dr. Pankaj Kumar Singh, and MLA Om Prakash Sharma were present — an alignment of central and state BJP leadership that underscores the political weight being placed on the capital's air quality agenda heading into winter.
CM Gupta framed the dual push — new buses plus charging infrastructure — as complementary pillars of a single commitment: 'Our resolve is to provide Delhi's residents with clean, modern, and convenient public transport.' The statement sets a clear accountability marker as the pollution season intensifies over the coming weeks.
With 150 buses on the road today and five new charging hubs live, the test now is whether the rollout pace matches the scale of the problem — and whether further phases follow before peak smog season arrives.