BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Thursday included 40 more e-buses to the existing fleet of Ama buses in the capital region.
The new buses were flagged off by Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra at the Gadakana depot of the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT).
“The new e-buses have been included to the Ama bus fleet as part of state government’s commitment to enhance urban transportation, ensuring eco-friendly and efficient mobility solutions for citizens. This expansion is a significant step towards realising the vision of Viksit Odisha and building a greener future,” Mahapatra said.
With over three lakh people relying on this service daily, Mahapatra said the addition of more buses will also enhance accessibility, convenience, and the overall public transportation network of CRUT in the capital region. Currently CRUT’s fleet of 560 buses in capital region, Rourkela, Sambalpur and Berhampur include 180 electric buses, reinforcing the state government’s focus on eco-friendly mobility solutions, he said.
The existing fleet will also be expanded with 100 additional electric buses under the state scheme in near future, while the state government also has a proposal to add 400 more e-buses under the PM e-Bus Sewa scheme, he said.
CRUT, that manages the Ama Bus service in the state, currently has modern electric depots in Pokhariput, Bhubaneswar, and Naraj in Cuttack. It has planned two more such depots each at Chhend in Rourkela and Modipara in Sambalpur respectively.
Keeping in view the safety of passengers, CRUT officials said the speed limit of the electric buses have been kept at 35 kmph, while for diesel buses, it has been kept at 40 kmph within the city area.