Delhi's "Mohalla Bus Service" Likely To Be Renamed Namo Bus: Sources

The BJP-led government in Delhi is likely to rename the Mohalla Bus Service to NAMO Bus or Antyodaya Bus, sources told NDTV.

The scheme will launch on April 1, with 200 new electric buses aiming to provide last-mile connectivity and aiming to reduce congestion.

The former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party started the Mohalla Bus Service last year to increase access to areas with limited road widths and manage the high footfall on the existing fleet of public transportation.

Delhi minister Pankaj Singh, who also holds the portfolio of transport, said about 2,000 new buses - both 12 metre and 9 metre - will join the DTC fleet in the first week of April. He said 80 percent work of setting up charging stations for the new buses has been completed.

Singh said he held several rounds of talks with vendors to iron out irritants related to maximising the 'Make in India' component in the tender. He said old buses are being phased out -- 3,000 DTC buses need to be phased out and 2,000 cluster buses are scheduled to be phased out this year.

Buses are going to get phased out in batches every month. "Many new electric buses will join the fleet as phase-out is being done every month," he said.

Assuring that women would continue to enjoy free travel on public transport buses, Singh guaranteed that he would ensure a turnaround in the loss-making Delhi Transport Corporation and oversee that it starts earning profit.

Earlier, it was proposed that Mohalla Clinics be renamed Ayushman Aarogya Mandir.

Among other changes suggested by BJP MLAs since they came to power in the February 5 elections is the renaming of areas like Najafgarh, Mohammadpur, and Mustafabad.