PMPML to hold back tender of e-buses due to Chinese manufacturer
Sushant Ranjan
Pune June 22, 2020: The Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahanagar Limited (PMPML) has decided to put on hold the tender process of electric buses which was soon to be added into the fleet. The decision has been taken on Monday during the Board Of Directors (BOD) meeting. About 75 e-buses have been inducted till now through Pune Smart City project.
The BOD meeting was attended by PMPML Chairman and Managing Director Naina Gunde, Joint MD Ajay Charthankar, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Mayor Murlidhar Mohol, Commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad, Pimpri-Chinchwad Mayor Usha Dhore, Commissioner Shravan Hardikar and other officials of both corporations and PMPML.
According to the PMPML sources, “It has been decided to put on hold the tender process of the e-buses. The new buses are yet to be added in the PMPML fleet. The China-based company is manufacturing these buses. Also, due to the Coronavirus outbreak, AC buses will not be used.”
The Olectra Greentech Limited based in Hyderabad is providing the e-buses. The company has already provided the buses in the first phase. In the second phase, the company will provide more than 100 buses. The company had introduced electric buses in India in 2015 in strategic tune-up with BYD Auto Co Ltd, China.
