BENGALURU: After getting the state cabinet nod recently to induct ten electric double-decker buses, the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation is working in earnest on floating the tender soon. The bus corporation has been trying to bring back the once-famed double-decker buses to Bengaluru for over a decade, but all its attempts had failed till now.
Sources from the corporation said the buses will be operated on a Gross Cost Contract (GCC) basis and it will purchase the vehicles.
“Last year, when the BJP government was in power, tenders were floated to procure five double-decker buses. The lone bidder, Switch Mobility, the electric vehicle arm of Ashok Leyland, had quoted Rs 10 crore for the five buses. Even before the tenders were approved, the state went into elections and the Congress government came to power in May. The tender was scrapped citing that the quote of Rs 2 crore per bus was high,” the source said.
The bus corporation was asked to go for fresh tenders. However, in the internal meetings, it was decided that instead of going for direct procurement which will be a huge burden on the bus corporation that is facing a financial crunch, it was decided to go for the GCC model, the source said.
The source said steps are being taken to float the tender soon.