Published On : Tue, Feb 13th, 2024
By Nagpur Today Nagpur News

Green move: NMC to get 150 e-buses from Centre under PM scheme

Nagpur: In a significant move towards promoting eco-friendly public transport, the Central Government has granted approval for the allocation of 150 electric buses to the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) under the Prime Minister E-Bus Scheme.

The allocation includes not only the 150 e-buses but also encompasses the establishment of two new charging depots in Khapri and Koradi. This holistic approach indicates a comprehensive strategy to support and enhance electric mobility within the city.

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To facilitate the successful operation of these e-buses, the Central Government has committed to providing financial assistance to the NMC. A noteworthy aspect of this support is the provision of Rs 24 per kilometre as viability gap funding to the civic body. This financial backing aims to address any operational gaps and ensure the seamless functioning of the e-buses in Nagpur.

Ravindra Pagey, the Administrative Officer of NMC’s Transport Department, shared this positive development with the media. He emphasized the importance of such initiatives in advancing sustainable and environmentally conscious modes of public transportation. The commitment from the Central Government reflects a shared vision for cleaner and greener urban mobility solutions.

The introduction of 150 e-buses is expected to have a significant positive impact on the environment by reducing carbon emissions and contributing to air quality improvement. Electric buses are known for their eco-friendly nature, and their integration into Nagpur’s public transport system aligns with the larger goal of mitigating the adverse effects of traditional fossil fuel-powered vehicles.

NMC currently has a fleet of 541 buses in its Aapli Bus service, which includes 360 diesel buses (165 standard, 150 midi and 45 minibuses), 70 retrofitted CNG buses, and 111 e-buses. The NMC is operating over 400 Aapli Buses on 100-odd routes. The daily ridership of NMC’s Aapli Bus fleet hovers between 1.36 lakh and 1.38 lakh passengers.

The Central Government will not only provide 150 e-buses along with the operator, but also provide 50% viability gap funding, which comes to Rs 24 per km per bus for 10 years, Pagey said.

Currently, the NMC is spending almost Rs 7 crore per month towards viability gap funding. Central Government’s support will reduce the financial burden on the already cash strapped civic body..

To promote an eco-friendly transport system, ‘PM E-Buses Yojana’ is being implemented. Under the scheme, 10,000 e-buses will be provided by the Central Government across the country. For this, proposals were invited from states by the Central Government. Municipal Commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari had sent a proposal to the State Government for the same.

The Central Government has also approved NMC’s detailed project reports for developing depots at Koradi and Khapri.

At NMC, Additional Municipal Commissioner Anchal Goyal supervised the preparation of the draft proposal for e-buses. Earlier, Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Dr Abhijeet Chaudhari held consultations with civic body officials to discuss the requirements of the city, whose population is estimated in the range of 20-40 lakhs. For the same 150 e-buses and parking arena was finalised.

The Transport Department of NMC has decided to set-up parking-cum-charging deports at Koradi where 33 KV sub-station is planned to be erected at cost of Rs 21.14 crore and a 11 KV depot at Khapri at cost of Rs 6.37 crore, said Ravindra Pagey.

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