Delhi Government Plans 145 New Routes for DEVI Buses

The Delhi Government plans 145 new routes for DEVI (Delhi Electric Vehicle Intern Connector) buses to encourage more people to travel by the newly launched electric buses. For the same, the transport department is planning these new routes for the new 9m-long buses, along with dedicated bus stops, to provide last-mile connectivity in Delhi.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta flagged off the first set of 400 DEVI (Delhi Electric Vehicle Intern Connector) buses in the month of May this year, in a bid to improve last-mile connectivity along with the quality of air in Delhi. The services were previously known as Mohalla Buses under the Aam Aadmi Party regime. After the BJP took control of the capital city earlier this year, the service was rebranded as DEVI under the Women Safety Scheme.

The aim of the service remains the same — to provide women with a free, clean, and safe travel experience in the capital city. Women of all ages — from students to working professionals to mothers — will be given transport where they feel more confident and comfortable. Women passengers also find these buses not just comfortable, but also free and dignified. Even mothers with small children find it easier to travel in these buses.

Last year, the International Council on Transportation (ICCT), an international non-profit public policy think tank and research institute, published a study showing that six in ten daily trips in Delhi are under 4 km, yet long-haul buses continue to dominate the city’s public transport network.

Delhi even today has extensive and vast public transport connectivity; however, it lacks accessibility in dense urban settlements where the 12m city bus cannot operate. To tackle this problem, the smaller 9m neighbourhood buses were deployed on roads. These Mohalla buses are short-distance, high-frequency neighbourhood buses, tailored to Delhi’s complex urban fabric and street system.

Traffic delays, limited route coverage, and lack of public awareness still remain concerns for many women in Delhi as they take up these short-route buses. Some passengers also suggest adding a mobile app to check bus location and timing in real-time.