Govt hits out at criticism of electric bus plan

NEWDELHI: The Delhi government on Friday hit out at the observations by a Supreme Court-appointed environment body that the AAP dispensation’s plan to buy 1,000 electric buses lack specific details.

The EPCA panel, in its report to the Supreme Court, had said that it was not in a position to recommend that the court should clear the proposal as given in an intervention application of the Delhi government.

The AAP government said no proposal on electric buses has been submitted by it in the court so far. Transport minister Kailash Gahlot said the government has, so far, only submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court, outlining the various projects for which it will be using the ECC funds. ECC is a green tax imposed on the entry of commercial vehicles in the national capital. A sum of Rs 999.25 crore has been collected under this tax till April 12 this year.

The government also issued a statement, in which it hit out at the EPCA’S observations, saying “certain individuals” should have “done their own job first”. “Rather than casting aspersions on the government’s ability to carry out its plans, concerned individuals should have clearly informed the Supreme Court if they are in favour of replacing CNG bus fleet with electric buses, and if this project can be supported by ECC funds,” it said.

The government said it was yet to complete the technical detailing of the project and was currently in the process of appointing a consultant for the project. “The government is in advanced stages of procuring 2,000 CNG buses, but it has nothing to do with its plans to induct 1,000 e-buses, which is a separate project,” the statement said.

Citing the reasons for rejecting the city government’s proposal, the environment panel said, “The government of NCT Delhi has not done sufficient work to detail out the proposal for induction of 1,000 e-buses and its necessary infrastructure.

“Also, the Delhi government’s past track record of inducting conventional CNG buses has been lacking. It is therefore, all the more imperative, that better design and detail, is provided for this necessary project,” it said.