HYDERABAD: As part of its green mobility push and efforts to make the state a pioneer in electric bus operations, the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) is converting ageing diesel buses into electric vehicles. As part of this initiative, the corporation has focused on adopting advanced retrofitting technology to convert its existing diesel fleet into electric buses.
The corporation has already floated tenders for the retrofitting project and finalised them by the end of September last year. Accordingly, the responsibility of retrofitting 200 buses has been awarded to Sai Green Mobility Pvt Ltd, while 40 buses will be converted by Kalyani Powertrain Limited.
The feasibility of diesel-to-electric conversion was first demonstrated in 2023, when a diesel bus from the Musheerabad depot was successfully retrofitted in collaboration with a private firm. The converted bus is currently operating in the Uppal depot area.
The move aligns with the state government’s vision of providing a pollution-free public transport system in Hyderabad, while reducing dependence on private vehicles.
It is to be recalled that the TGSRTC has set a target of introducing 2,800 electric buses within the Outer Ring Road limits by 2027. At present, 325 electric buses are already operating across six depots in the city, with another 175 expected to be added this year.
To support the expanding electric fleet, charging infrastructure is being developed at 19 additional depots, while plans are also in place to construct 10 new depots and 10 dedicated charging stations. The total estimated investment for this infrastructure development stands at `392 crore.
A meeting, chaired by TGSRTC Vice-Chairman and Managing Director Y Nagi Reddy, was held at Bus Bhavan on Friday to review the progress of the initiative. TGSRTC Executive Directors Munishekar, Venkanna, Raja Sekhar, Vijaya Pushpa, representatives of Sai Green Mobility and Kalyani Powertrain Limited, and other senior officials were also present.