NMMT plans to add 100 e-buses to its fleet of 30

Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) plans to add 100 more electric buses to its fleet of 30 electric buses. It has tabled a proposal in the civic general body

Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) plans to add 100 more electric buses to its fleet of 30 electric buses. It has tabled a proposal in the civic general body for tenders.

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The buses will be procured under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric (and Hybrid) Vehicles (FAME) scheme of the central government.

NMMT had purchased 30 electric buses under the scheme which are being run in the city. The e-buses ply at Vashi, Ghansoli, Nerul, Belapur and Bandra.

The central heavy industries ministry is giving subsidy for hybrid and electric buses in major cities of the country. The central government has this year too decided to give the subsidy under the FAME scheme.

The 12-m-long bus costs around ₹1.75 crore while the 9-m bus costs ₹1.25 crore. NMMT has to spend only ₹16 per km for operating electric bus against ₹30 per km it spends on the diesel-run buses.

NMMT general manager Shirish Aradwad said, “NMMT incurs a loss of ₹5.5 crore every month. The induction of electric buses has helped us cut costs and hence is benefitting the transport body.”

The buses can run up to 225 km a day and can carry 35 passengers.

“Having additional electric buses in our fleet will help reduce pollution and cut our losses,” he said

Social worker Nitin Kandhari said, “Rising pollution is a matter of concern and induction of electric buses for public transport is important for the city.”