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Delhi’s 5,000-Bus Push: A Missed Bus or a Turning Point?


The Delhi government’s plan to add 5,000 new buses by 2026 signals a long-awaited push to revamp its public transport system. But behind the numbers lie deeper questions—Is it enough? Can the system afford it? And will it fix the inefficiencies or reinforce them?


This article unpacks the implications of the proposed expansion, examining its adequacy, financial sustainability, and the risks of replicating systemic flaws.



Neural City article on Delhi's 5000 bus plan
Image Source- ANI


Is 5,000 Buses Enough? Assessing Fleet Adequacy

In 1998, the Supreme Court recommended Delhi operate 10,000 buses to meet public transport demand. But in a city that has more than doubled in population since then, this benchmark is now outdated. Neural City’s internal estimate suggests Delhi needs 25,000–30,000 buses to adequately serve its residents.


Currently, the combined DTC and DIMTS fleet stands at 7,135 buses, leaving a massive shortfall.

The addition of 5,000 buses is a positive move but remains insufficient to meet the city’s needs. Compounding this, 83% of DTC’s fleet is set to retire by 2025 due to age caps—meaning much of the new stock will merely replace retiring buses rather than expand capacity. This underscores the need for a more ambitious and sustained approach to fleet augmentation.


This estimate factors in population growth, travel demand, and the modal share required to shift people from cars to buses.


DTC’s Financial Woes: A Systemic Crisis

DTC’s operational cost per kilometer has skyrocketed to ₹544—nearly ten times the cost of privately run cluster buses. Losses ballooned from ₹25,300 crore in 2015–16 to ₹60,750 crore by 2022, according to a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report.


Meanwhile:

  • The DTC fleet shrank from 6,342 buses in 2010–11 to 3,910 in 2023.

  • Nearly 30,591 employees are on DTC's payroll—translating to eight employees per bus, far exceeding industry norms.


These inefficiencies have created a financial black hole, raising concerns over whether DTC is structurally capable of managing a larger fleet.

Risks of Perpetuating Inefficiencies

Simply expanding the fleet won’t fix deep-rooted structural issues. Without reform, new buses could inherit old problems:

  • Depot Space Constraints: Land shortages continue to restrict depot infrastructure, limiting fleet maintenance and operations.

  • Maintenance Gaps: Frequent breakdowns due to poor maintenance practices plague the existing fleet.

  • Free Ride Policies: While socially beneficial, free rides (such as for women) add financial stress to an already stretched system.


Unless these are addressed, the new buses risk becoming liabilities rather than assets.


The Politics of Freebies and Fiscal Health

Delhi was once a revenue-surplus Union Territory. Today, it is revenue-deficit, primarily due to mounting subsidy bills:

  • Subsidy spending has surged over 600% in the past decade, reaching ₹10,995 crore in 2024–25.

  • Free bus rides for women alone cost ₹1,500–₹2,000 crore annually.


While socially progressive, these policies require a financial model that ensures they don’t cannibalize long-term infrastructure spending. Populism without planning can end up hurting the very people it seeks to help.


Electric Buses: A Green Silver Lining

Despite these challenges, the shift toward electric buses offers a path toward sustainable urban mobility.


By 2025:

  • Delhi aims to have 10,480 buses, of which 80% will be electric.

  • The transition is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions by 4.67 lakh tonnes annually.

Charging infrastructure is being developed across depots, modernizing the system and aligning with global sustainability goals.


Overall the plan to induct 5,000 new buses is a necessary but not sufficient step toward fixing Delhi’s mobility crisis. Without reforms—in depot capacity, financial accountability, operational efficiency, and fiscal planning—the capital risks repeating its past mistakes.

Can Delhi transform this opportunity into a blueprint for equitable, green public transit—or will it remain a series of missed buses?



References for the Article

Fleet Size and Expansion

  • Hindustan Times: "10k public buses in Delhi by 2023, 75% new vehicles electric: Kailash Gahlot"

  • Statista: "India: DTC fleet size 2023"

  • Wikipedia: "Delhi Transport Corporation"

  • Neural City Report: Internal estimation on Delhi’s current bus fleet requirement (25,000–30,000 buses)

DTC Financial Challenges

  • Indian Express: "Delhi Transport Corporation's liabilities rose by Rs 37,000 crore between 2015 and 2022, flags CAG report"

  • ThePrint: "From 6,342 buses to 3,910 in 12 yrs, Delhi commuters suffer with old fleet, depleting further"

  • CAG Report (2022): “Chapter 3: Working of DTC” – cag.gov.in

  • Statista: "India: DTC workforce size 2023"

  • Times of India: "On borrowed time: Why DTC must switch gears in Delhi"

Operational Inefficiencies

Depot Space Constraints & Maintenance

  • The Hindu: "Land crunch poses hurdle to Delhi’s electric bus expansion"

  • Indian Express: "Buses break down often due to lack of proper maintenance depots: DTC staff"

Free Ride Policies and Fiscal Impact

  • Business Standard: "Delhi’s subsidy burden grows to Rs 10,995 crore in 2024-25 budget"

  • Hindustan Times: "Free bus ride scheme for women may cost Rs 2,000 crore annually"

  • Economic Times: "Delhi transitions to a revenue-deficit UT as subsidy schemes rise"

Electric Bus Expansion and Sustainability

  • Economic Times: "Delhi expands electric bus fleet: 400 new buses flagged off"

  • Wikipedia: "Delhi Transport Corporation"

  • Statista: "Delhi CO2 emissions from transport sector"

  • Delhi Government EV Policy (2020): Vision for 80% e-bus fleet by 2025

  • Delhi Transport Department Reports: Charging infra and CO₂ reduction projections




 
 
 

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