75 electric buses will hit the roads of Bengaluru on Aug 15

Bengaluru: The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is all set to induct 75 non-AC electric buses as part of the 75th year of independence celebrations. Sources said that Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai will give green signal for the operation of 75 new buses on 15th of this month. BMTC officials said the 12-metre long non-AC E-buses will be deployed mainly on long-distance routes by Switch Mobility Limited, a electric vehicle arm of Ashoka Leyland.

In the first phase it is planned to ply e-buses from Yelahanka depot. BMTC has identified routes like 401K Yelahanka - Kengeri, 290E Shivaji Nagar - Yelahanka, 402B, 402D Kempegowda Bus Stand - Yelahanka Satellite Town. A BMTC official said that the charging station at Yelahanka is already ready and is in progress at Bidadi and Attibele.

Maintenance is easy for BMTC

BMTC had invited tenders for the purchase of 300 e-buses under the 'Fame-2' scheme of the central government. Switch Mobility Limited, which quoted Rs 48.95 per km, has managed to secure a contract to operate 300 electric buses on contract basis. Switch Mobility not only provides the drivers, but also takes care of the charging infrastructure and maintenance of the buses. BMTC will only have to appoint an administrator. E buses have 41 seats and 150 km run on a single charge. If charged for 45 minutes, it will run again for 75 km. A distance of more than 225 km can be traveled in a day.

Loss reduction

The price of petrol and diesel is increasing day by day. Due to this, if buses are run using diesel, BMTC will have to continue at a permanent loss. Although e-buses are not expected to generate profit, they will help a lot in reducing the burden of ticket fare on the passengers. BMTC is suffering more losses after covid. Around 90 e-buses which have been procured under the grant of Bangalore Smart City Limited Company are already plying on 9 routes. These buses are mainly plying on metro feeder routes. The Charging stations for 300 e-buses are proposed to be installed at KBS, Kengeri, Yeshwantpur and Central Silk Board bus station depots.

Demand to start low-floor electric bus service

Many passengers have urged the BMTC to add low-floor electric buses suitable for the physically challenged and senior citizens. Two meter long Non-AC Switched Mobility E-Buses have 900 mm floor height (ground clearance). Each of them will have wheel-chair lifting facility, an official said.

"Wheel-chair lifting facility is not suitable for Indian road conditions. Most buses do not stop at designated bus stops. Instead of these wheel-chair lifting facilities we need more low floor non-ac buses. Low-floor buses are accessible to the disabled, children and the elderly," he said. E-buses will be on the road to control large amount of noise and air pollution in the city. At present, the level of pollution in the city is increasing day by day and pollution has also played an important role in the city.