PMC standing committee okays e-bike rental scheme for Pune

Citizens will be able to avail of the e-bike service by paying Rs4 per km. Project will be executed on a pilot basis and contractors will add on e-bikes in phased manner

The Standing Committee of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has cleared the execution of an electric-vehicles-for-rent project along with a sanction for electric charging stations across the city.

A total of 2,000charging points at 500 locations in the city have already been set-up for 25,000 bikes to be operational. (HT PHOTO)

Citizens will be able to avail of the e-bike service by paying Rs4 per km.

The project will be executed on a pilot basis and contractors will add on e-bikes in phased manner.

Standing Committee chairman, Hemant Rasne said, “PMC does not need to bear any financial burden for this project.

“The contractor will provide 3,000 to 5,000 e-bikes in phases and 500 spots are identified for bike stations and vehicle charging stations.”

Rasne said, “This proposal came through the city improvement committee.

“We had sent this proposal to the administration for their suggestions and the response was positive. The project will get rolled out very soon.”

The Pune Municipal Corporation standing committee claims that the project will improve the city’s air quality and help to provide a feeder service for the Pune metro lines.

Heramb Shelke and Pranit Parekar, co-founders of VTRO, a company contracted for the project, said, “VTRO motors have taken into consideration full damage control, robbery issues of the previously- run cycle project in the city, while launching this project. Under this scheme we are setting up standard and fast-charger points.”

“We have now got approval for 2,000 charging points at 500 locations in the city with 25,000 bikes already in the pipeline.

“Other corporations are setting up 50,000 charging points with 25 lakh EV bikes across India within 36 months,” the duo claimed.