1,500 e-buses to revive 125 BEST bus routes

The 9-metre-long AC e-buses, which will be procured on a wet lease, will be rolled out in phases in the coming months, starting from or after Diwali, officials said

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Committee on Tuesday approved the procurement of 1,500 new electric buses under the central government’s PM E-Drive scheme, which will allow it to revive at least 100-125 discontinued routes, according to officials familiar with the matter.

BEST currently operates 400 bus routes with 2,800 buses. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT PHOTO)

The 9-metre-long AC e-buses, which will be procured on a wet lease, will be rolled out in phases in the coming months, starting from or after Diwali, officials said. The new fleet is expected to strengthen feeder services to metro stations, serve high-density corridors and support the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs’ target of operating 10,000 buses in the city by 2027.

“Based on present calculations, by the time all 1,500 e-buses join our fleet, we will be able to add 100-125 bus routes. The priority will be for those routes that have been cancelled over the months for various reasons. It will also help us run on narrow, steep roads like in Vikhroli, Bhandup, and Kanjurmarg, where handling 12-metre buses is a task. They will also improve connectivity from metro and railway stations,” said a BEST official, requesting anonymity.

The e-buses will be procured from two companies: Mumbai-based GreenCell Mobility will supply 1,050, while Hyderabad-headquartered Sai Green Projects will provide the remaining 450. They will be inducted in four phases—225 buses in the first batch, 375 in the second, 450 in the third, and 450 in the last phase—over 18 months from the time of production.

Each bus will feature a 400 mm ultra-low floor for easy access, including for wheelchair users. The buses will be equipped with Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries, air suspension, fast DC charging, a 360-degree CCTV surveillance system, Intelligent Transport Management Systems (ITMS) and a Fire Detection and Suppression System to improve passenger safety and operational efficiency.

The undertaking also aims to procure 5,000 buses on a self-owned basis, which will require around ₹7,000 crore for production, supply, maintenance and operations over a period of three years, officials said. BEST currently operates 400 bus routes with 2,800 buses.