Transporters unwilling to replace older buses
With the running of public transport buses not-so-profitable business any more, many private bus operators in the city are considering replacing their more than 15-year-old vehicles.
The fleet of electric buses of the West Bengal Transport Corporation(WBTC) is to have 50 number of additional buses by end of the present year.
Notably, the WBTC is operating 80 such buses along various routes in and around the city.
The vehicles rolled out by the state government in the month of February, last year, was well received by the commuters of the city. The zero emission and pollution free buses facilitated environment friendly mode of transport.
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“The WBTC has finalised the supply, operation and maintenance with charging and civil infrastructure for 50 numbers of air-conditioned electric buses,” informed an official of the department .
“The buses are expected by the end of 2020.They would operate from three depots- Newtown, Balaka and Shapoorji,” he added.
The department is now mulling over developing a good number of charging stations as well. While Nonapukur, New Town, Howrah and Belghoria already have dedicated charging stations for these vehicles, such stations will also be developed at 55 places in and around the city.
The WBTC, additionally, is planning to solarize bus depots along with the use of battery storage, while trying to decarbonising the transport system.
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