Delhi CM flags off U-special buses for students

The U-Special buses are set to increase in number over time with incorporation of more routes according to the students’ needs, officials said

Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday relaunched the iconic University Special (U-Special) bus service for college students at the Delhi University (DU) Sports Complex. This initiative, officials said, marks the return of a safe, eco-friendly, and student-friendly transport option with a modern fleet of electric buses equipped with air conditioning, CCTV cameras, panic buttons, and music systems.

Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta takes a ride in the newly launched U-Specials Buses at North Campus of Delhi University on Thursday. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

Officials said that the 25 new U-special buses will link the North Campus, South Campus, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, and major residential areas. The routes have been carefully planned, such as Narela to Patel Chest, Najafgarh to Aurobindo College, Purnachandra Hostel to Ramjas College, Rithala Metro to Aditi College, and other educational hubs, officials added. Their schedules have been aligned with college timings to provide maximum convenience for students.

“The new electric buses will not only reduce pollution but also serve as a lifeline for students,” Gupta said, adding that she also used the U-Special bus service as a DU student. “These buses,” she said, “used to relieve all the stress of the day. They ran on time, ensuring we reached college and home without fail. There was a different joy of sitting on the steps of U-special buses and enjoying the breeze.”

DTC will also introduce music in buses for the first time in Delhi NCR, in the form of a live radio channel. Officials said that along with entertainment, it will also include passenger engagement through QR codes and WhatsApp and serve as a platform for government messages and social campaigns.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by MP Manoj Tiwari, Delhi transport minister Pankaj Kumar Singh, MLA Surya Prakash Khatri, transport commissioner Niharika Rai, and DTC managing director Prince Dhawan, among others.

Singh expressed his gratitude to the CM for relaunching the U-Special buses within a month of the announcement. He said that these buses will operate on more than 25 routes, connecting DU’s North and South Campuses, 67 colleges, surrounding localities, metro stations, and other key areas across the city.

He also urged students to make use of these buses instead of private vehicles.

Speaking at the ceremony, Gupta said that Delhi’s growth had been hampered in the past due to inconsistent policies of previous governments, describing them as “U-turn governments”. “Ours is a forward-gear government,” she added.

According to Gupta, by 1998, when she had left university, the U-Special buses had already stopped running. “But today,” she said, “I have brought them back for all of you.”

She reminisced how students in her day entertained themselves with antakshari in the bus and sat on bus steps, but the modern buses have enhanced both safety and convenience students, especially women.

The U-Special buses are set to increase in number over time with incorporation of more routes according to the students’ needs, officials said. Gupta added that the government will actively work to provide concessional metro passes for all students across Delhi.