NMMT to add new electric and CNG buses to its fleet
There is good news for commuters travelling by Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport buses.
The administration has not proposed any fare hike in the annual budget 2020-21 of NMMT, presented by municipal commissioner Annasaheb Misal earlier this week.
The administration has planned to add 100 electric buses and 40 CNG buses in the coming fiscal year in its efforts to make transportation pollution-free. It already has 30 electric buses. It has also planned setting up of electric charging stations at 30 locations.
As per the Central government policy, all NMMT buses will be equipped with CCTV cameras. Commuters will soon be able to use the smart cards issued by NMMT for air-conditioned buses to travel in other buses. NMMT has allocated ₹60 crore for a commercial complex being built at Vashi bus depot.
The commissioner has proposed an income of ₹363.75 crore with an opening balance of ₹75.23 lakh for the year 2020-21. NMMC has allocated a grant of ₹95 crore to the transport body.
NMMT suffers losses of ₹4 crore in a month. With BEST reducing its fare, NMMT suffered further revenue losses as the number of passengers dropped. Around 3 lakh commuters travel by NMMT buses daily.
Municipal commissioner Annasaheb Misal said, “We given a relief to passengers by not increasing ticket fares. We are going all out to promote environment-friendly vehicles such as electric and CNG buses. We will get 50 electric buses by August and the remaining by March-April next year.”
The transport body plans to start mini bus service from Kopar Khairane, Ghansoli and Rabale railway stations to MIDC industrial area. NMMT general manager Shirish Aradwad said, “We will purchase 10 mini buses to provide service from the nodes. It will take around six months to start the service.”
