Eye on women’s safety, long-distance commute, DTC plans 4 am bus service

2 min readJun 20, 2026 09:18 PM IST

At present, the city's public transit fleet operates on nearly 900 routes. (AI generated Image)

In an effort to ensure women’s safety and improve connectivity for working professionals and students travelling long distances, the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) is planning to introduce early-morning bus services from 4 am across all its routes, officials said on Saturday.

The direction to explore the feasibility of starting early bus services was given by Lieutenant Governor (LG) Taranjit Singh Sandhu during a recent meeting focused on enhancing women’s safety and improving public transportation, said a senior Transport department official.

“Currently, buses start exiting from their home depot at 4 am. However, early morning services are operated only on a few routes like Bhajanpura to Noida…these buses reach the bus stops at 4:15 am and 4:55 am in the morning. LG has now directed DTC to explore this in all bus routes, especially those that connect schools, offices, colleges and industrial areas, to ensure people reach their destination on time,” said officials.

At present, the city’s public transit fleet operates on nearly 900 routes, officials said.

The development also comes against the backdrop of the LG recently holding a review meeting, where a decision to deploy women police personnel inside all DTC ladies special buses operating on identified routes was taken.

In the meeting, Sandhu was informed that the preliminary exercise of identifying vulnerable routes with high female ridership had been undertaken by the DTC, and the Delhi Police had been requested to deploy women police personnel on the ladies special buses plying on these routes, especially during morning and evening hours, officials said.

The LG also directed Delhi Police to provide the necessary female workforce, and that women Home Guard Marshals be deployed to assist police personnel.

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Further, the LG issued strict directions to authorities, categorically stating that the safety of women should not be compromised at any cost.

To ensure robust on-board security and prevent unruly elements from boarding buses meant for ladies, or from harassing women as they board or de-board, women police personnel will play an integral role, officials said.