T’puram: The government has revived collaboration between KSRTC, Kerala Automobiles Ltd (KAL) and the Swiss Hess AG Automobile manufacturer for e-mobility projects.
The project which was originally planned for the manufacture and purchase of 3,000 electric buses from the company was placed in the backburner after the opposition accused corruption towards the end of the previous LDF administration.
On the basis of the decision to revive the project to form a JV company with Hess, KSRTC and KAL, the communique was officially sent to the MDS KSRTC and KAL by Kr.
Jyothilal’s main secretary on October 25 (accessed by TOI), which states that the meeting will be chaired by The minister’s chairman to review the progress of the project.
Minutes of official meetings on February 17 last year between government representatives, e-Mobility PrizeWaterhouseCoopers and Hess AG project consultants have revealed that the government will all sign Swiss firms with Swiss companies.
The meeting was held by the Secretary of the Head and where the Transportation Secretary, five PWC representatives, representatives of Hess and the Swiss Bags Susan von Sury have participated.
As per the treatise, a planned MoU will be signed at the end of April 2020 after following all formalities.
After the problem came out, the government came with clarification that it had not signed an agreement with Hess.
However, the minutes of the meeting showed that the decision was taken to sign the MoU with Hess and the signing was only formalities.
The government decided to continue the purchase of 3,000 e-buses with an estimated cost of RS 6,000 Crore from the Swiss firm which ignored the opinion of the state task force on the e-mobility that had been established.
Like per minute from the first meeting of the task force chaired by the main adviser then the Minister of Railway Ashok Jhunjhunwala on December 16, 2017, the E-Bus State efforts will be watched carefully by the world because there are actually no real models available for learning and adoption.
“…
E-buses have been deployed especially in China and other efforts are tentative pilot programs.
There are no clearer distribution models available for study and adoption,” minutes said.