Delhi transport minister Kailash Gehlot inaugurates trial run of Mohalla buses on Vasant Vihar Route
Oct 11, 2024
New Delhi [India], October 11 : Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gehlot inaugurated the trial run of the Mohalla Bus service on the Vasant Vihar circular route on Friday, aiming to enhance public transport connectivity in the city.
The route covers vital locations such as Munirka Village, the Munirka Metro Station, Ambience Mall, DLF Mall on Nelson Mandela Road, the Vasant Kunj Institutional Area, Spinal Injury HoMspital, IIMC, Ber Sarai Village, and Fortis Hospital.
Currently, two buses are operating on a trial basis, with plans for additional routes to be determined based on commuter feedback.
This initiative is part of the Delhi government's broader strategy to expand the Mohalla Bus service across the city.
The nine-metre-long buses are being introduced to boost last-mile connectivity. The buses, as against the standard 12-m-long vehicles plying on Delhi roads currently, will be fully electric. They will have 23 seats of which six will be reserved for women.
During the launch, Gehlot emphasized the importance of improving transportation for Delhi residents.
"We have picked up one more route for Mohalla bus trial. It was the vision of Arvind Kejriwal to connect the first and last mile so that we resolve the issues of the people of Delhi...For the first time in the country, under the leadership and vision of Arvind Kejriwal, there are small buses - famous as Mohalla buses now...People are appreciating this. It is a revolutionary concept," Gehlot said while speaking to ANI
Earlier, in August, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj and MLA Somnath Bharti inaugurated the Mohalla Bus (trial) on a new route from Kailash Colony metro station to PNB Gitanjali Colony
The first route for the bus service will be from Kailash Colony Metro Station to PNB Geetanjali Colony. The second, from Lok Kalyan Marg Metro Station to Vasant Vihar Metro Station, this route will cover 6-7 colleges of South Campus.
Transport Minister Kailash Gehlot said the two additional routes would cover south campus colleges and allow youth to use public transport.
"As our Mohalla Bus trials continue successfully, we will add today 2 more trial routes Kailash Colony Metro station To PNB Gitanjali Colony Lok Kalyan marg metro station To Vasant Vihar Metro station, Which will cover 6-7 south campus colleges Like JMC, Maitreyi Venkateshwara, ARSD, RLA, Motilal This addition will bring public transport to the last mile, especially to young Delhiites," he said in a post on X.
Notably, the Kejriwal government 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-meter buses from operating.
