To combat vehicular pollution and ensure proper transportation facilities for the public, Raipur Municipal Corporation (RMC) is going introduce e-buses under its jurisdiction in Chhattisgarh’s capital Raipur.
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 told ANI.
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 introduction of these buses will play a significant role in lowering the level of vehicular pollution. Moreover, this move will be helpful in curbing huge expenditures on diesel. Buses will run completely on electricity, which will get rid of noise and pollution. As electric buses become successful and all the diesel buses will be replaced as per the availability of budget.
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.
Taking a cue from the Chandigarh model, the corporation will give the buses (for operation) to the firm from whom the vehicles will be purchased, said Kukreja, adding that from whatever revenue will be received from the operation of these buses, a fixed revenue will be given to RMC in the form of royalty.
In the second phase of this initiative, 40 buses will be procured following which the buses operated either run on petrol or diesel will be moved out of the road, said Kukreja.
Currently, the electric buses are operational in prominent cities like Mumbai, New Delhi and others.