Bhopal To Get 150 Electric Garbage Collection And Road-Sweeping Vehicles, BMC Targets ₹4 Crore Annual Savings By 2027

Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to introduce approximately 150 electric vehicles for waste collection and road maintenance by Diwali, with the goal of transitioning its entire garbage collection fleet to electric by the end of 2027. This move is expected to result in annual savings of Rs 3-4 crore. The corporation will receive 120 new electric garbage collection vehicles by December, accompanied by 20 electric road-sweeping machines, including 10 small and 10 large units, which are set for deployment across the city.

Four machines have already arrived for testing. BMC's transport cell estimates the operational cost per kilometre for electric vehicles at around Re 1, significantly lower than that of diesel and CNG vehicles. Each electric vehicle is priced between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 12 lakh, with the manufacturer offering a six-year battery warranty and a three-year motor warranty.

The municipal body currently operates a fleet of 450 vehicles, with 250 powered by CNG and 200 by diesel. Door-to-door waste collection across the city's 85 wards is managed by these vehicles. Following the shift to diesel vehicles, BMC aims to reduce operational costs due to rising fuel prices by transitioning to electric mobility.