Delhis Municipal Electric Vehicle Fleet Gathers Dust
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi is facing criticism for its fleet of electric vehicles, which has reportedly remained idle for over two and a half years, gathering dust. This situation unfolds as the Delhi government reinforces its commitment to sustainable mobility and prepares to roll out an updated Electric Vehicle Policy. Concerns over the prolonged disuse of these vehicles, procured at significant public expense, were recently raised during a standing committee meeting, questioning their continued unutilization.
The fleet, consisting of seventy five electric vehicles, was originally procured in two batches by the erstwhile South Delhi Municipal Corporation in 2018. The first acquisition included thirty two vehicles, followed by forty three in a second batch. To support this transition towards cleaner transportation alternatives, charging stations were also installed at over thirty prime locations across the city in collaboration with the New Delhi Municipal Council. Despite these initial investments and infrastructure development, a recent inspection revealed rows of these government vehicles parked unused, visibly covered in layers of dust and clearly lacking maintenance.
Several vehicles within the fleet showed signs of wear and tear, with some appearing in visibly dilapidated condition, signifying their prolonged neglect. While the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has officially declined to comment on the reasons for the vehicles remaining unused, internal sources suggest that a significant number of the cars have been rendered non functional due to various technical glitches. Officials reportedly believe that restoring this non operational fleet would not prove to be a cost effective solution.
Consequently, these electric vehicles are unlikely to be repurposed for their original intended use. Instead of proceeding with the procurement of a new batch of vehicles, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi is now actively considering rental based electric vehicle services as a more practical and economically viable option for its operational needs. This shift in strategy highlights a paradoxical situation where a substantial investment in sustainable mobility has yet to yield its intended environmental benefits.
This paradoxical situation highlights a disconnect between policy ambitions and on ground implementation for sustainable mobility. While central efforts promote electric vehicles to curb pollution, the idle fleet underscores the need for effective procurement and maintenance strategies to ensure public investments translate into tangible environmental benefits.
