Major cities in Chhattisgarh, including industrial towns, will soon see electric buses operating on their streets.
The Centre last week approved 240 electric buses for public transport under the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme. The e-bus service will commence soon in Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg-Bhilai, and Korba. The latter two are identified as industrial towns of Chhattisgarh.
Deputy Chief Minister and Urban Development Minister Arun Sao said the PM-eBus Sewa scheme was launched by the central government to enhance public transport infrastructure in urban areas. Under the scheme, states have been allocated buses based on the population of their cities. “According to the proposal sent by the Chhattisgarh’s urban development department, Centre sanctioned 100 e-buses for Raipur, 50 for Durg-Bhilai, 50 for Bilaspur, and 40 for Korba,” he said.
Under the scheme, the state must submit operational details and reports every three months to the Centre. The scheme also mandates a third-party audit of the funds disbursed to ensure full transparency.
Sao explained that three types of buses — standard, medium, and mini — will be operated in cities divided into four categories based on population. Cities with a population of 2 to 4 million are eligible for 150 e-buses, cities with a population of 1 to 2 million and 500,000 to 1 million will receive 100 e-buses each, while cities with less than 500,000 people will be allocated 50 e-buses.
Based on this formula, Raipur will receive 100 medium e-buses, and Durg-Bhilai will get 50 medium e-buses. Bilaspur will have 35 medium and 15 mini e-buses, while Korba will have 20 medium and 20 mini e-buses, the minister said.
Sao noted with the introduction of the e-bus service, Chhattisgarh’s cities will be able to reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, and enhance environmental protection. The initiative will also lead to lower energy consumption, better fuel efficiency, and more comfortable transportation for citizens. The central government will provide financial assistance for the purchase and operation of the buses, a significant portion of which will be used to develop infrastructure such as bus depots.
Chhattisgarh was granted ~30.19 crore in the first tranche of the e-Bus scheme, which will support the promotion of e-mobility in the four cities. According to officials, all infrastructure proposals for the state were approved, including those for e-bus procurement and the development of civil depots and power infrastructure for charging.
First Published: Sep 16 2024 | 6:42 PM IST
