A route rationalisation study conducted by the Delhi government, which understood the needs and demands of public transport users, has laid the path for introducing "mohalla" buses in Delhi, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot has said. He said the buses will operate on shorter distances, connecting important points of interest in the national capital, including transport hubs such as metro stations. "With the introduction of mohalla buses and the integration of different transport modes, we aim to make Delhi one of the top 10 cities in the world for public transport. We are also taking steps to ensure hassle-free operations, including finding new spaces to house the electric buses," he said on Monday.
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Gahlot further said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has been planning to integrate different transport modes into a reliable, affordable, convenient and high-frequency multi-modal transport system in the coming years. A meeting was chaired by the minister with international experts on the Mohalla Bus scheme. The virtual consultation was attended by Transport Commissioner Ashish Kundra, Delhi Transport Corporation, Managing Director Shilpa Shinde, officials from the DTC and the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System and public transportation experts from India, Colombia and the United States. The Mohalla Bus scheme is an initiative to provide affordable and convenient public transport services to the residents of all localities, especially those living on the city outskirts.
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Small and medium-sized buses will ply on designated routes, covering all neighbourhoods and localities, especially poorly connected residential as well as commercial hubs. The buses will be equipped with modern amenities and will operate on a frequent and regular basis. The scheme was announced earlier this year and aims at deploying nine-metre-long electric buses to provide a neighbourhood or feeder. The Arvind Kejriwal government plans to roll out 2,180 such buses by 2025.
