50 electric buses likely on Gurugram roads by next January

According to a press statement issued by the department of heavy industry on Thursday, these 5,595 buses will cumulatively run for 4 billion kilometres during their contract period (which was unspecified), and will save about 1.2 billion litres of traditional fuels

Officials of the Gurugram Metropolitan City Bus Limited (GMCBL) said they are hopeful of deploying 50 electric buses on city roads by next January.

Department of heavy industry (under the ministry of heavy industries and public enterprises) announced the sanction of 5,595 electric buses to 64 cities, including Gurugram (HT PHOTOS)

On Thursday, the department of heavy industry (under the ministry of heavy industries and public enterprises) announced the sanction of 5,595 electric buses to 64 cities, including Gurugram, under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India (FAME) subsidy.

Earlier this year, the ministry had invited expressions of interest from cities with a population of a million-plus people, capital cities and cities enlisted under the Smart City mission. While Gurugram is not included in any of these categories, it was awarded 50 e-buses under the ‘other city’ category and ‘satellite town’ sub-category. It is the only city in Haryana to have been allotted the e-buses under the second phase of FAME.

“These 50 buses will be housed at a separate depot, equipped with the infrastructure needed to charge and maintain them,” said Arun Sharma, general manager, GMCBL.

Land for the same has already been identified in Sector 65, just off the Golf Course Extension Road. Sharma added, “We are hoping of procuring the buses this year and roll them out after requisite testing, sometime in January.”

According to a press statement issued by the department of heavy industry on Thursday, these 5,595 buses will cumulatively run for 4 billion kilometres during their contract period (which was unspecified), and will save about 1.2 billion litres of traditional fuels. This, in turn, the ministry estimates, will mitigate the carbon footprint of India’s public transport system, by reducing 2.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. 

Chander Shekhar Khare, chief executive officer, GMCBL, termed the development “positive”.

“We will launch these buses on busy routes so that pollution is reduced. The buses will be given to us at a subsidised price, under this scheme. It is a great boost for the city bus service,” Khare said.