State to introduce over 1K e-buses by the end of 2023
kolkata: The state Transport department is aiming to introduce 1,180 more electric buses in the state by the end of 2023.
"1180 more electric buses under Fame (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles) II scheme (guided by CESL) will be inducted shortly of which 400 e-buses are expected to be on road by 2022 and rest 800 e-buses by 2023. We will be signing an MOU with CESL on the occasion of Environment Day on June 5 for this purpose," state Transport minister Firhad Hakim said while flagging off 10 electric buses on Wednesday.Sources in the Transport department said that among the 1180 buses around 400 will be air-conditioned while the rest will be non AC.
The 10 buses which were inducted on Wednesday are part of a new inclusion of 50 more electric buses in the state by July. Bengal already has 80 electric buses in its fleet and 76 charging stations.
According to a senior official of the state Transport department, with the introduction of these 50 buses, they have shifted from the CAPEX (capital expenditure) to OPEX (operational expenditure) model while acquiring the buses, thereby opening up the sector to private partners to run the service, and share a royalty with the government. Currently, the entire fleet of 80 e-buses is run by state transport undertakings.
"The OPEX model will be a game-changer. Buses will generate revenue on a daily basis and they will pay the STUs. Private operators will run the buses and share a fixed amount per bus with the STUs for using the bus depots and charging infrastructure," Hakim said.
The minister added that his department has plans to set up charging stations in all the tram depots in the city. The design and planning for conversion of one electric ferry of approximately 100 passengers into battery operated one is also under progress, which is expected to be complete by next few months.
Discussions for electric trolleybuses using existing tram electrical power infrastructure is in progress.
