News Brief
Karnataka Moves Forward With Plan To Induct 4,000 Electric Buses Into State Transport Fleets
Electric Buses (Pic Via Twitter) (Representative Image)
The Karnataka Cabinet has cleared an ‘electric bus programme’ that will enable the rollout of 4,000 new e-buses across state-run fleets, Law and Tourism Minister H K Patil announced on Friday (11 April), Indian Express reported.
The programme reportedly enables the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), and Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC) to procure the buses with the aid of a low-interest Rs 3,000-crore loan from the World Bank.
The Cabinet nod formalises the Preliminary Project Report (PPR) submitted through the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) portal in collaboration with the World Bank.
The initiative aims to reduce air pollution, ease traffic congestion, and provide commuters with a cleaner and modern mode of transport.
BMTC, an early adopter of electric buses in the country since its 2017 pilot under FAME-I, will now expand its electric fleet to match rising commuter demand and sustainability goals.
Additionally, BMTC also operates 300 buses manufactured by Switch Mobility and 90 by JBM Group under the Smart Cities Mission.
All these buses are reportedly non-air-conditioned and are operated under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model, where the manufacturer is responsible for providing the driving crew and maintenance.
Meanwhile, KSRTC currently runs 350 e-buses, with 50 deployed last year for Bengaluru-Mysuru routes under FAME-II, and is planning an addition of 300 more by mid-2025.
