Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Friday flagged off a prototype electric bus, the first of the 921 electric buses being inducted into the city’s bus fleet this year.
Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will be running these electric buses under the FAME II Scheme of the Government of India. They will be operated on a gross cost contract (GCC) model, where the manufacturers TML Smart Mobility City will look after the hiring of drivers and maintenance of the buses.
The operating fare for these 35-seater, low-floor electric buses will be Rs 41.01 per kilometre. Ten depots in the city, including Shantinagar, Jayanagar, Hennur, Jigani and KR Puram, have been identified to operate them.
Shakti scheme
Reddy highlighted the need to increase the bus fleet across the state, given the success of the Shakti scheme.
“The four corporations have already planned to buy 4,000 buses. The chief minister’s budget allocation this year will also allow us to induct an additional 1,000 buses. In total, we have decided to acquire 5,000 buses this year to meet the number of buses being scrapped from 2013,” he said.
He noted that metro feeder minibuses will begin operating soon, and the recruitment of nearly 13,000 drivers, conductors, and mechanics will begin soon after the government’s approval. More trips will also be introduced in areas with higher demand.