State to launch e-buses in city in PPP model from May

KOLKATA: State Transport department will launch e-buses in the city following PPP model from May.

The e-buses will be deployed in six routes from New Town. If successful, the model will be replicated in the adjoining districts of Howrah and South 24-Parganas.

The state Transport department has already deployed nearly 90 e-buses in Kolkata.

New Town is the first area where three e-buses had been first introduced. It is being run in three routes.

Three more buses will be added to the fleet taking the strength to 6.

The six routes where the e-buses will be introduced are New Town to Park Circus, Sapurji in New Town to Howrah station, Sapurji to Maheshtala, Eco Space to Santragachi, Eco Space to Bangur and Eco Space to Airport. The fare will be at par with the fare of other e-buses that are being run in the city.

The driver and the infrastructure will be maintained by the private agency while the conductor will be maintained by the state Transport department.

The state Transport department has purchased 15 e-buses. The transport department will give Rs 4.30 lakh to the private player to pay salaries of the bus drivers and infrastructure cost.

The private agency will have to run 5000 km per bus, per month. The estimated cost has been calculated as Rs 86 per kilometer.

It may be mentioned that in the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) a MoU has been signed to set up an e bus manufacturing unit in Murshidabad. The state government has taken elaborate measures to encourage the use of e-vehicles.

The registration fee and road tax will be waived for two years. More charging stations will be set up in different parts of Kolkata.

Some ministers and senior secretaries, including the Chief Secretary and Home Secretary, have been given e-vehicles.