Chhattisgarh: Electric Buses to Soon Operate in Raipur to Reduce Air Pollution

GG News Bureau

Raipur, 12th May. Raipur Municipal Corporation (RMC) will introduce e-buses under its jurisdiction in Chhattisgarh’s capital Raipur to reduce vehicular pollution and ensure sufficient transportation services for the public.

Initially, 10 electric buses will be procured and based on the feasibility decision to procure more buses will be taken, officials said.

“Under the government’s ambitious scheme, 10 e-buses will be purchased to promote the electric vehicle and a tender in this regard has been floated,” Sunil Kumar Chandravanshi, an additional commissioner with RMC said.

After the tendering process will complete and the one, who will be selected, has to provide the buses within a timeframe of three months, added Chandravanshi.

According to the officer, the deployment of these buses will significantly help to reduce vehicle pollution. Furthermore, this action will aid in reducing massive diesel expenses. Buses will run entirely on electricity, reducing noise and pollution. As electric buses become more popular, all diesel buses will be replaced based on budgetary constraints.

The 10 electric buses will be procured with the expenditure of Rs 12 crore, informed an officer in RMC. Air pollution due to petrol and diesel will increase manifold in the coming time and everyone is familiar with this serious issue, said MIC member and chairman of the transport cell in RMC Ajit Kukreja, elaborating that as a solution to this problem, the corporation is going to introduce electric buses.

Moreover, speed charging stations with an expenditure of around Rs 2 crore will also be installed in the city, he added.

Following the Chandigarh model, the corporation will give the buses (for operation) to the firm from which the vehicles will be procured, said Kukreja, adding that a fixed revenue will be given to RMC in the form of royalty from whatever revenue is received from the operation of these buses.

In the second phase of this project, 40 buses will be purchased, after which the buses that run on either petrol or diesel will be moved out of the road, according to Kukreja.

Electric buses are currently in use in major cities like Mumbai, New Delhi, and others.