NEW DELHI: Aiming at improved last-mile connectivity, 10,000 electric-buses (e-buses) will be provided to 169 cities under the ‘PM-eBus Sewa’ in the next five-to-six month. The scheme will be based on a public-private partnership (PPP) model.
Speaking on the efforts made for ‘urban transformation’ since 2014, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday that the Central government is going to procure air-conditioned buses soon under the scheme, which was recently approved by the Cabinet in order to augment city bus operations.
MoHUA secretary Manoj Joshi said that state governments are required to submit their proposals by September 30, for which the guidelines have already been issued. The top official of the ministry further added that travelling on these electric buses would be a metro-like experience. The tickets for the e-buses would be available through an automatic fare system, he explained.
The scheme involves the Central and state governments as well as the service providers. Operators running these buses will be paid Rs 20-40 per kilometre. The Union Cabinet approved the scheme earlier this month to enhance green mobility.
According to the officials, the scheme will cost about Rs 57,613 crore, of which Rs 20,000 crore will be provided by the Central government and the remaining cost will be borne by the states. Priority will be given to the cities that don’t have an organised bus service and the allocation will continue till 2037.
The scheme has two segments — augmenting city bus services in 169 cities and green urban mobility initiatives in 181 cities.
The e-buses will be made available in cities with a population between 3 lakh and 40 lakh. The scheme will support bus operations for a period of 10 years. The housing and urban affairs minister said that under the scheme, cities will be responsible for running the bus services and making payments to bus operators.
On the occasion, he also released an e-book version of projects completed by the ministry in the last nine years.
Puri also highlighted the progress made under Sawachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U). The mission has led to a fourfold increase in waste processing from 18 per cent in 2014 to 75.20 per cent in 2023.
Segregation and door-to-door collection of municipal solid waste has also witnessed a remarkable increase as a result of efforts done under Sawachh Bharat Mission-Urban, said a ministry official.
Green mobility
The scheme involves the Central and state governments as well as the service providers. Operators running these buses will be paid Rs 20-40 per kilometre. The Union Cabinet approved the scheme earlier this month to enhance green mobility. According to the officials, the scheme will cost about Rs 57,613 crore, of which Rs 20,000 crore will be provided by the Central government and the remaining cost will be borne by the states.