MSRTC electric buses to run on three more routes from Pune

At least 50 more e-buses will soon be added to the fleet, said officials. The infrastructure needed to run these buses, like charging stations and maintenance and repair workshops will be set up in these cities

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has decided to extend the service of electric buses (e-buses) named “Shivai” on three more routes, Solapur, Kolhapur and Aurangabad from Pune.

MSRTC launched its first e-bus service between Pune and Ahmednagar on June 1. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

It launched its first e-bus service between Pune and Ahmednagar on June 1.

At least 50 more e-buses will soon be added to the fleet, said officials. The infrastructure needed to run these buses, like charging stations and maintenance and repair workshops will be set up in these cities.

“We will get 1,000 electric buses in a phase-wise manner under the central government’s Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme. We expect to get the first slot of 150 electric buses by June-end or by first week of July, after which these buses will operate across the state on various routes. So, we have decided to add more routes from Pune by giving 50 buses to the Pune division on Solapur, Kolhapur and Aurangabad routes,” said Shekhar Channe, vice-chairman, and managing director of MSRTC.

The MSRTC was formed on June 1, 1948, as the first bus was flagged off between Pune and Ahmednagar. So, the electric bus service was inaugurated by state deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on the same day from Swargate.

On that occasion, Pawar had declared to get 3,000 electric buses for the state transport body.