City to get 100 electric buses in December under PM-ebus plan!

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

If all goes well, the city is expected to receive 100 electric buses by the end of December, through the PM-ebus Sewa program.

The new electric buses will be operational from January 2025. Meanwhile, the Smart City Mission board has set up an ultra-modern depot for the buses on a 27-acre plot in Jadhavwadi to ensure timely arrival of the buses.

The e-bus service scheme was announced by the central government in August 2023, inviting proposals from cities with a population of over a million. The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) submitted a proposal under the leadership of administrator G Sreekanth through Smart City Office, which was approved by the central government. The central government has given the green signal to supply 100 electric buses, which is aimed at strengthening the public transport system and reducing pollution.

The Smart City administration has already prepared a large depot for the buses and there are plans to build additional depots on reserved land in Waluj MIDC. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the land with MIDC will be signed soon. An estimated budget of Rs 150 crore for the construction of the bus depots has also been submitted to the central government.

All processes must be completed quickly

The necessary documentation for the municipal corporation’s e-bus scheme will be completed before the implementation of the code of conduct for the Legislative Assembly elections. The central government has also completed the tender process for the purchase of the buses. Sources have indicated that 100 e-buses will be made available to the city by early January, early next year.

100 diesel buses in operation

Currently, 100 diesel buses are running through Smart City since 2018, which are positively received by citizens. With the addition of another 100 e-buses to the fleet, the city’s public transport system will definitely be strengthened.