Delhi Marks First Anniversary with 500 New E-Buses, Unveils Strict Safety Framework After Fatal Accident
Delhi marks its first anniversary with the launch of 500 new electric buses, taking the e-bus fleet to 4,000, while introducing a strict 8-point safety framework after a fatal Janakpuri accident.
The Delhi government celebrated its first anniversary on February 8, 2026, by pushing forward its green mobility and restricting the norms of public safety simultaneously. Rekha Gupta, the Chief Minister, inaugurated 500 new electric buses at Ramlila Maidan and the government also provided an 8 point safety system as a response to a fatal accident due to an open excavation site of civic works.
Electric Bus Fleet: Green Push Touches 4,000
Delhi has now over 4,000 e-buses, 500 of them recently added, a significant milestone in making the city go clean in terms of transport. The government once again announced its long-term goals of increasing the overall number of buses, both electric and not, to 14,000 by 2028, making public transport the key to climate planning in Delhi.
It has introduced the newly inducted buses which have air conditioning, CCTV cameras and panic buttons to enhance the comfort and the safety of the passengers. The authorities stated that it is not all about decreasing emissions but also about restoring the trust of people in bus transportation by means of recent and safe infrastructure.
Inter-State Electric Connectivity was introduced
Together with the growth of the fleet, the government introduced an inter-state electric bus service between Delhi and Panipat. The move is an indication that clean mobility is being extended beyond the city boundaries and the use of personal vehicles as a mode of transportation over short distances between cities is being minimised.
It is projected that the service will be useful to the day to day commuters and also act as an experimental project to other electric inter-state routes in the future. The government has said that the same services may be implemented on other busy routes in case the Panipat route is operationally viable.
Safety First: 8-Point Framework after Janakpuri Tragedy
The safety order is issued after the death of 25 year old biker Kamal Dhyani who fell in an uncovered pit that was dug by the Delhi Jal Board in Janakpuri. The event brought about general fault against sloppy on-ground safety protocols.
The new Office Memorandum requires all offices that conduct excavation jobs to adhere to an 8-point framework. This incorporates early warning signs, compulsory use of lights by means of reflectors and blinkers during night and the use of hard barricading to close the work sites entirely. The excavated material should be properly enclosed in a bid to avoid accidents and dust pollution, safe walkways among pedestrians and coordinated traffic diversion has now become a must.
Most importantly, the government has been proposing stringent accountability measures. Departments will be allocated three days to provide a consolidated report on all the excavation sites that are underway and accountability will be well established to field officers and contractors. Any carelessness, the authorities have threatened, will be met with both disciplinary and legal action- indicating a more aggressive approach to breaches of civic safety.
