Delhi Devi Bus Scheme Launch Postponed Following National Mourning for Pope Francis
The Delhi Devi Bus Scheme launch was postponed following the national mourning declared after the passing of Pope Francis. The electric bus rollout under the rebranded DEVI initiative will be rescheduled, with a new launch date to be announced soon.
The highly anticipated rollout of electric buses under the DEVI (Delhi Electric Vehicle Integration) scheme has been postponed due to the national mourning declared after the passing of Pope Francis, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced on Tuesday.
The news comes as India observes a three-day state mourning to honor the late Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88. He was the first non-European Pope in over 1,300 years.
“Due to the national mourning declared by the Government of India on the demise of His Holiness Pope Francis, the launch of electric buses under the DEVI scheme has been postponed. The new date will be announced soon,” Gupta said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The launch was scheduled to introduce 76 electric buses from the Ghazipur depot as part of the DEVI scheme, a major initiative of the newly formed BJP government in Delhi.
The scheme aims to boost last-mile connectivity by linking residential areas to metro stations and major DTC (Delhi Transport Corporation) routes.
Each DEVI electric bus is designed to cover approximately 12 km per route, enhancing accessibility and reducing urban congestion. The project was previously known as the Mohalla Bus Service under the AAP government, but has since been rebranded and revived by the current administration.
While the Devi Bus Scheme launch has faced multiple delays in recent months, officials remain committed to strengthening Delhi’s electric public transport network.
A new launch date will be shared once the mourning period concludes.
