Delhi Gets 300 New E-Buses As Amit Shah Lays Narela Jail Foundation Stone

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday launched 300 new zero-emission electric buses for the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) fleet and laid the foundation stone for a high-security prison at Narela, marking a major push towards strengthening Delhi’s green transport network and security infrastructure. The initiatives were announced during an event attended by senior Union and Delhi government officials.

The newly inducted electric bus fleet includes 195 nine-metre buses under the ‘DEVI’ category and 105 advanced 12-metre electric buses. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the low-floor, air-conditioned buses are designed to provide safe, comfortable and accessible travel, including improved facilities for passengers with disabilities. The buses are equipped with CCTV cameras, panic buttons, GPS tracking systems and passenger information systems to enhance commuter safety.

With zero tailpipe emissions, the new electric buses are expected to contribute towards reducing pollution levels and improving air quality in the national capital. Following the induction, Delhi’s public transport fleet has increased to nearly 6,600 buses, comprising 4,845 electric buses and 1,755 CNG buses. The Delhi government has set a target of developing a modern fleet of around 14,000 buses by 2028-29.

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During the event, Amit Shah also virtually laid the foundation stone for a technology-driven High-Security Prison at Narela, which will have capacity for more than 250 inmates. The project is expected to become one of the country’s most advanced prisons, with the Union Home Ministry providing Rs 100 crore while the remaining expenditure will be covered by the Delhi government. The facility will follow modern security standards with a radial-axial design allowing centralised monitoring of prison wings.

The proposed prison will include artificial intelligence-enabled CCTV surveillance, biometric access control, body-worn cameras, automated locking systems, full-body scanners, X-ray baggage scanners, mobile signal jammers, video conferencing facilities, an in-house court complex and a command and control centre. Each inmate will have an individual cell with separate toilet and bathing facilities to reduce unnecessary movement and improve security management.

Several other transport infrastructure projects were also inaugurated, including electric bus depots at Narela Sector A-1 and A-4, Rithala and Kohat Enclave, along with an automated vehicle testing station at the Nand Nagri DTC Depot. The testing facility will conduct automated fitness checks for heavy, light and two-wheeler vehicles using modern technology, covering parameters such as braking, suspension, emissions and underbody inspection. Union ministers Bhupender Yadav and Harsh Malhotra, Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Delhi ministers and other senior officials were present during the event.

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