New Delhi: Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) in its board meeting on Tuesday took many key decisions. DTC has given in-principle approval of running premium buses within NCR and for intercity operations.
Along with this, the DTC board, in order to encourage the use of e-two wheelers by DTC employees, approved providing free charging facilities in DTC depots. Additionally, the employees will now be able to avail loan from financial institutes empaneled by Delhi Financial Corporation(DFC) as per the provision of Delhi EV policy 2020. In another decision, the board approved the benefit of 3 national holidays to be extended to Contractual employees of DTC.
Transport Minister of Delhi and Chairman of DTC board Kailash Gahlot stated, “Under the leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi government has been at the forefront of providing best services for its employees and citizens of Delhi. While new premium buses under DTC will provide convenience for longer journey commuters, the free EV charging facilities and benefit of 3 national holidays to contractual employees shows our commitment for providing best facilities and services for our staff and employees.”
DTC had been planning to introduce high quality premium buses on longer routes. The board approved the same to be implemented on NCR routes under 200 kms which may include electric or CNG buses. Regarding the intercity bus operations, DTC will be operating Bharat Stage (BS) VI buses for routes covering more than 200 kms. All the buses will be equipped with CCTV, GPS, panic buttons and more, providing convenient and safer travel for long distance commuters.
In the meeting, the DTC board also discussed and approved providing free charging facilities for all its employees having electric vehicles. The 2 wheeler segment has been one of the priority segments of Delhi EV policy. Delhi government is already providing a purchase incentive of Rs 5,000 per kWh of battery capacity with a maximum incentive of Rs 30,000 per vehicle(two wheeler). DTC has a workforce of nearly 38,000 employed across the city working at the Depots and Corporate office. As per a government statement, a survey was conducted within the employees of DTC and it was found that 45% of the staff are using two wheelers to reach the office. As range anxiety has been one of the major challenges for an individual while buying an electric vehicle, free charging facilities at the office and DTC bus Depots will provide a boost for employees using electric vehicles, said the statement.
Additionally, DTC employees who do not have enough funds to purchase electric two wheeler, may avail loan facility from financial institutes empaneled by Delhi Finance Corporation (DFC), as per provision of the Delhi EV policy, 2020. To make the complete process hassle-free for the employees, the DTC board approved the provision for the installment of the loan amount to be deducted directly from the salary of the employee.