1,500 electric buses sanctioned for Tirupati, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh will be given 1,500 electric buses under phase-1 by the Centre as part of introducing energy efficient vehicles. Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) (Union Ministry of Power) Managing Director Saurabh Kumar said the EE vehicles were ready for delivery to different cities in Andhra Pradesh.

Speaking after entering into agreement with AP on EE Buildings at the Secretariat on Wednesday, Saurabh Kumar said that utmost priority would be given to AP for arranging around 1,500 energy efficient electric vehicles in the cities of Tirupati, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam in the first phase.

He said the vehicles were ready for delivery and likely to be introduced in the cities soon. “All arrangements are being made for establishing charging stations for successful operation of energy efficient electric vehicles,” he said.

The APSRTC has already planned to introduce e-mini buses on Tirumala ghat road. It also conducted tests with the electric buses during the last September and wrote to the Centre for supply of the e-buses. It has also plans for introduction of e-buses in Vijayawada. The RTC officials examined the e-buses introduced in Himachal Pradesh for the first time in country.

AP government has written to the Union government requesting to increase subsidy for the e-buses. As each e-bus costs around Rs 3 crore, the Centre is providing Rs 85 lakh only.

Saurabh Kumar expressed happiness over implementation of energy efficient programmes in AP. “AP is pioneer in taking up several EE programmes such as UJALA, EE TUBE Light programme, LED Street lighting in Urban and Rurals areas and now Energy Star government Buildings,” he said. He said the progress of implementation of these programmes in AP was quite satisfactory.