21 AC Electric Buses To Hit Nashik Roads From September 1; 28 E-Buses Ready For Service
Nashik: Under the Central Government's 'PM e-Bus' scheme, the first batch of 21 air-conditioned electric buses, part of the 50 sanctioned for the Nashik Municipal Corporation, has arrived in the city. Another seven buses are expected to arrive next week, and citizens will be able to travel on these 28 air-conditioned e-buses starting September 1. The inclusion of these eco-friendly buses in the…
Nashik will see the introduction of 21 new air-conditioned electric buses from September 1, as part of the Central Government's PM e-Bus scheme. This initiative, aimed at bolstering the city's bus services, includes the first batch of the 50 buses sanctioned for Nashik Municipal Corporation. An additional seven buses are anticipated to arrive the following week.
These 28 electric buses, once operational, will join the existing Citylink fleet, which currently consists of roughly 250 buses, comprising 200 CNG and 50 diesel models.
The arrival of these eco-friendly buses is expected to significantly enhance Nashik's transportation services, especially in the lead-up to the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh Mela. The Municipal Corporation launched the Citylink bus service in 2021, comprising approximately 250 buses, with 200 running on CNG and the remaining 50 on diesel.
Initially, plans were in place to acquire 50 electric buses under the NCAP scheme; however, the focus was later shifted to the PM e-Bus scheme, which approved the procurement of the first 50 buses.
The deployment of these buses faced initial delays due to the pending agreement with the operator, JBM Ecolife Mobility Private Limited. Although the construction of the e-bus depot at Adgaon was completed three months ago, the service was delayed due to a lack of a signed agreement. This situation was exacerbated by government delays in finalizing the draft agreement.
The agreement was finally signed at the Municipal Corporation headquarters, facilitated by Mayor Himgauri Aher-Adke, Deputy Mayor Vilas Shinde, and Standing Committee Chairman Machhindra Sanap.
The newly acquired electric buses, painted orange, will bolster the Citylink fleet significantly when they begin service on September 1. This expansion is anticipated to boost the passenger transport capacity of the fleet, which will play a crucial role in reducing carbon emissions and air pollution. Furthermore, the shift towards electric buses will lead to savings on diesel costs, steering Nashik's public transport system towards a more environmentally friendly future.
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