Nagpur: In a big boost for public transportation, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is ready to get 100 electric buses by Diwali 2022.
“The Civic body will get a bus with funds received from the 15th Finance Commission,” Commissioner of the City of Radhakrishnan B was told toi .
NMC also plans to get several Double Decker buses, which will abolish specific routes and mainly carry commuter to legacy sites throughout the city.
This will join the city bus fleet around 2023, he said.
Under the 15th Finance Commission, the NMC will receive the RS243 crore from the central government.
This, he has received the Crore RS66 in two years of finance 2020-21 and 2021-22, and the rest will be received in four phases up to 2025-2026.
From the Crore RS243, NMC will use 80% to strengthen the city bus transportation system, a civil head.
At present, the NMC operates around 360 buses, which includes 150 midi, 45 mini, six buses are electrical and remain.
NMC operates AAPLI bus services with the help of four bus operators and two ticket agents.
The Civic body has received 240 standard buses under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban and renewable mission (JNNURM).
Of these, three were damaged by fire and 70 had been converted into CNG fuel.
Now the rest must be removed by the end of this financial year, after completing a 15-year life span.
So, this standard bus will be replaced by 100 electric buses, said Radhakrishnan.
NMC will get 100 e-buses on the wet rent method, where the contractor provides drivers and takes tabs for vehicle maintenance.
NMC was looking at wet leasing as the reform needed to bridge the income and expenditure gap from the Aapli bus operation.
The NMC transportation department is in red with accumulated losses to increase to RS7 Crore per month.
Radhakrishnan said this project was in a newborn stage and would advance with full steam in two weeks with the procurement of e-bus.
This process will take almost six to seven months, he said, adding that Nagpurians can expect 100 more electric plying aapli buses on the streets of the city.
Under the phase-II of the fame (adoption and manufacturing of hybrid and electricity vehicles), the NMC has placed an order of 40 electric buses that will join the city bus fleet at the end of this year.
Smart Nagpur and Sustainable City Development Corporation Limited will also provide 15 electric buses to NMC.
NSSCDCL will develop filling stations throughout the city, especially on the trail and next to the city bus shelter for electric vehicles, Radhakrishnan said.
NMC currently has one charging station in the East Nagpur.