Maharashtra: MSRTC Slaps Rs 4 Crore Penalty on Evey Trans for Delay in E-Bus Delivery
Pune, 12th April 2025: The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has imposed a ₹4 crore penalty on Hyderabad-based Evey Trans Private Limited for failing to deliver over 1,900 electric buses as per the agreed timeline. The action comes amid mounting concerns over delayed electrification of the state’s bus fleet.
Confirming the development, Madhav Kusekar, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of MSRTC, said, “The penalty was calculated based on the terms outlined in our agreement with the company. We’ve also issued them a fresh notice regarding the delay. They’ve verbally informed us that they require an additional five to six months.”
Under the contract signed in November 2023, Evey Trans was to supply 5,150 electric buses over two years on a lease model. Of these, 1,935 buses were due by January 2025, with the rest expected by June 2026. However, only 220 electric buses have been inducted so far, a number far short of the initial target.
In light of the delay, MSRTC has now revised the deadline, pushing the overall delivery target to March 2026, according to Abhijit Bhosale, the corporation’s public relations officer.
The first e-bus under MSRTC’s initiative—branded ‘Shivai’—was launched in June 2022 on the Pune-Ahilyanagar route. Since then, progress on the electric transition has slowed significantly.
Repeated attempts to contact representatives of Evey Trans via email and phone went unanswered.
The issue drew official attention last week during a high-level review meeting chaired by Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik. “The company must be sent a final warning. If there’s no satisfactory response, MSRTC should consider terminating the agreement,” the minister reportedly instructed.
A senior MSRTC official, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed concern about the stalled rollout. “By now, over 2,000 electric buses should have been on the roads. Pune was meant to be the main hub, with e-buses radiating to districts across Maharashtra. The goal is to reduce reliance on diesel and push for sustainable, eco-friendly transport,” the official said.
Currently, MSRTC’s electric fleet primarily operates between Pune and Mumbai. Plans are underway to convert part of Pune’s Swargate bus terminal into a dedicated e-bus depot, complete with charging infrastructure and support facilities. “This conversion will only be practical once more e-buses are delivered,” said an official from the Pune division.
The delay not only hampers MSRTC’s clean mobility goals but also raises questions about the vendor selection and oversight mechanisms in large-scale public transport contracts.
