Pune: PMPML To Hire 350 Electric Buses, First Phase Delivery To Start In March
Pune, February 2, 2021: The process of hiring 350 electric buses (e-bus) for the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) fleet has been completed. The vehicles will be procured from Electra company.
The PMPML will get a grant of Rs 55 lakh per bus from the central government and the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporations will provide funds according to their share. These buses will provide high-quality service to passengers in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, officials said.
The PMPML had submitted a proposal under the Central Government’s Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electrical Vehicles-2 scheme (FAME-2) for electric buses. It was approved by the central government. Accordingly, the PMPML will get a grant of Rs 55 lakh per bus from the Center. It had issued a tender process after the board of directors approved getting the buses on lease.
The amount will be paid to the company at the rate of Rs 63.95 per km. Buses are expected to run 225 kilometres per day. Out of a total of 350 buses, 150 buses will enter the PMPML fleet in the first phase. Of these, 75 buses will be available by September 2021 and the remaining 75 buses by the end of December. Out of 150 buses, 90 buses will run for Pune city, while the 60 buses will run for Pimpri-Chinchwad city. These buses will start plying in March.
By the end of December, the corporation will receive 350 vehicles, so the PMPML’s fleet will have a total of 650 e-buses. At present PMPML has 150 e-buses in its fleet.
