KOLKATA: In a bid to check pollution, the state Transport department is planning to launch electric or e-buses, e-auto rickshaws and e-vessels across the state. According to sources, the department is planning to introduce at least 1000 electric buses.
Sources said state Transport minister Firhad Hakim conducted a meeting with the transport officials to prepare a master plan at Kasba Paribahan Bhawan on Wednesday afternoon.
"We will run more buses to ensure passengers are not inconvenienced," Hakim, who is also chairman of board of administrators of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), while briefing reporters in KMC, when asked to comment on less numbers of private buses running on the roads and passengers violating physical distancing norms.
It is learnt that the state Transport department will launch 1000 eco-friendly electric buses by next year to streamline communication in the city and suburbs.
The decision to run electric vehicles comes following a spiraling fuel price hike by the Central Government.
The cost of e-vehicles is comparatively high. Manufacturers will be contacted for price negotiations of e-vehicles.
The help of the World Bank may be taken in this regard. Old vehicles will be scrapped and replaced by electric vehicles.
In a bid to offer better road transport connectivity to passengers, more auto rickshaws routes will be opened up in the city. To stop corruption, e-permits will be given for auto rickshaws. "Even if the prices of fuel go up, there will be no need to increase the fare for passengers," said an official of the
department.