The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has approved new hire charges for its electric buses in a move aimed at improving its financial health and promoting cleaner public transport. As per the new rates, electric AC low-floor buses will now cost `110 per kilometre against `75 per kilometre earlier hire rate, as mentioned on the DTC website.  The  minimum daily charge is set to `7,700 for up to 70 kilometres. This means anyone hiring an e-bus must pay at least `7,700 per day, even if the total distance covered is less than 70 km. A cost analysis by DTC showed that running an electric bus costs around `90.38 per kilometre, so the new hire rate ensures that the department can recover its operational costs and also generate some revenue. The decision was taken during a recent board meeting chaired by Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh. The hire rate refers to the amount charged by DTC when its buses are rented out to other organisations or individuals for private use. These include school trips, tourism purposes, police requirements, or even film shoots. The board also compared these new rates with the current charges for CNG buses, which are still in use. At present, non-AC CNG buses are charged at `60 per kilometre, and AC CNG buses at `75 per kilometre, with daily minimum charges of `3,000 and `4,500 respectively. The transport minister said the revised rates would help make DTC financially self-reliant. We are aiming to turn DTC into a profitable body within the next year. These revised charges will help cover our costs and create new opportunities, especially when electric buses are used for events or shoots, Singh said. However, with CNG buses expected to be phased out by the end of this year, officials say the focus will shift entirely to the electric fleet. The updated hire rates are part of that larger transition. Singh said that the new rates are also expected to encourage more people and organisations to use electric buses, while helping DTC raise additional funds through rentals.  

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