Nearly two years after electric buses began operating for the first time in Haryana, the state’s first e-bus depot has been completed and is set to open at the site of an old bus stand in Panipat.
Former chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had on January 28, 2024 inaugurated the e-bus services from Panipat under the Haryana City Bus Service Limited (HCBSL). Five buses currently operate on Delhi-Chandigarh highway between new bus stand and toll plaza in the town (26 kilometres up and down), with fare for the air-conditioned city bus service ranging from ₹10 to ₹20, depending on the stoppages.
Since the inauguration, officials said, the old bus stand site in Panipat was developed as a special charging and maintenance station for the e-buses, while the workshop for roadways buses still exists behind the site. Currently, five e-buses are charged at the new bus stand.
During the recently concluded winter session of the assembly, state transport minister Anil Vij assured Panipat (Urban) MLA Parmod Vij that the depot is fully prepared for operating buses at full capacity and will be made operational within the next three months.
Replying to the MLA’s question, Vij said that to control heavy traffic congestion in Panipat city, the government introduced electric buses, and under this initiative, a charging station has also been constructed.
{{/usCountry}}Replying to the MLA’s question, Vij said that to control heavy traffic congestion in Panipat city, the government introduced electric buses, and under this initiative, a charging station has also been constructed.
{{/usCountry}}“The Haryana government is working in a technically advanced manner and in accordance with the needs of the time. The government also wants to include as many electric buses as possible in its fleet; however, this requires certain infrastructural arrangements. While electric cars and buses are now available, charging stations are still inadequate as per the requirement,” the minister said.
Panipat roadways general manager (GM) Vikram Kamboj said that nine charging points have been installed at the depot, but since the site is a high-tension zone, passengers won’t be allowed to board buses from there. “Thus, arrangements are being made to allow passengers to board e-buses from a designated site under the elevated highway in front of the depot. We are hopeful that the depot will be operational by this month,” Kamboj added.
The GM further said that 15 more buses have already reached Panipat, for which routes are being decided and will connect all the sub divisions of the district and bordering districts. As many as 30 more buses will be added to the fleet soon taking the total e-buses with the depot to 50, Kamboj told the HT.
Other than Panipat, electric bus services have already been launched in Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Panchkula, Hisar, Rohtak, Rewari, and Sonepat (five each), and in Ambala (ten buses). The service is also provided in Faridabad and Gurugram by respective dedicated bodies, other than HCBSL.