CM Khattar inaugurates electric city bus service for Panchkula and Karnal

Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today launched the Electric City Bus Service for Panchkula and Karnal. On this occasion, the Chief Minister announced that the electric city bus service will be free for the first seven days.

While virtually addressing the program, the Chief Minister said that since today marks the festival of Mahashivratri, efforts should be made to ensure that the electric city buses pass near the Shiva temples of the city so that devotees can also benefit from the service.

On this occasion, Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker Gian Chand Gupta and Mayor Kulbhushan Goyal from Panchkula, as well as MP Sanjay Bhatia and MLA Ram Kumar Kashyap from Karnal, also participated through a virtual medium.

Currently, 5 buses each have been incorporated into the electric city bus service in Panchkula and Karnal, with plans for additional buses to join the fleet soon.

The fare for these 45-seater electric buses has been set at Rs 10 for the first 5 kilometers, followed by an increment of Rs 5 for every three kilometers thereafter. The route of the city bus service will be tailored to accommodate the demands and needs of the city’s residents. Moreover, the city bus service will be gradually expanded to neighboring towns in a phased manner. To date, 375 buses have been procured.

Khattar said that facility of city bus service had already been introduced in Panipat and Yamunanagar. Following today’s launch of the electric city bus service in Panchkula and Karnal, similar services will soon commence in five additional cities, namely Ambala, Sonipat, Rewari, Rohtak, and Hisar.

It is wort noting that during his budget address for the year 2023-2024, the Chief Minister announced the initiation of city bus services in 9 municipal corporations of the state and Rewari city. He further highlighted that the roadways fleet has currently expanded from 3083 to 4651 buses.