Kejriwal flags-off 100 new buses in Delhi, promises to modernise city's transport system

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal flagged-off 100 new DTC (Delhi Transport Corporation) buses which are equipped with CCTV cameras and panic button for women safety. This comes after he made an announcement about the same early in December. These buses, along with cameras and panic buttons, also have Global Positioning System (GPS) installed in them. 

Arvind Kejriwal flags off 100 buses

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During the launch of these buses, the Delhi CM said, "Today more 100 buses have been launched. It seems like the people of Delhi are receiving good news every week. There are a lot of buses in Delhi now. There will be more buses in the next 4-5 months. The issue of bus shortage that Delhi was facing for many years will be resolved now. Our goal is to improve and modernise the whole transportation system in Delhi. "

The Rs 128-crore initiative

CM Arvind Kejriwal, in a press conference held in early December, had said, “All the new buses that are coming in Delhi are equipped with CCTV cameras and Panic buttons. Every old DTC bus will also have three CCTV cameras and 10 panic buttons. We will try that we start at least 100 buses equipped with CCTV, panic buttons, GPS and automatic vehicle locator by the end of this month. A command Centre will be set up for all buses. It'll be helpful in securing the security of women. The cost of the whole process and putting up the CCTV cameras and panic buttons in buses is 128 crores and for this, we didn't receive any support from the central government, and nor have we got any money from the Nirbhaya fund”. 

Read: 15 GB data per month for Delhiites through hotspot network: Kejriwal

Free WiFi in Delhi  

Earlier, the Delhi Chief Minister had also announced that the national capital will get free WiFi from December 16, thereby fulfilling the AAP-led government’s last poll promise. Delhi goes to polls early next year. The Delhi government had approved the free WiFi proposal in August.  

Read: Delhi CM Kejriwal plays final pre-poll card; Gambhir calls Wi-Fi freebie "a big lie"

The free WiFi service will begin in the national capital from December 16 with the Delhi government kicking things off by installing 100 hotspots. Thereon, the government plans to install 500 hotspots every week, eventually leading into a set target of 11,000 hotspots in six months. The public-private partnership (PPP) project will entail in an investment of around Rs 100 crore with the Delhi government paying charges to the partnering companies per hotspot on per month basis.   

Read: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal announces the installation of 11,000 WiFi hotspots across the capital