[sustran] BMTC to run electric buses in 5 years: G Parameshwara

[Vinay Baindur]

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/bmtc-to-run-electric-buses-in-5-years-g-parameshwara/articleshow/65603528.cms




BMTC to run electric buses in 5 years: G Parameshwara
ET Bureau|
Aug 30, 2018, 11.27 AM IST
[image: bmtc-bus-agencies]The city will, instead, have electric buses for
public transport, Parameshwara, who also holds the Bengaluru development
portfolio, said after opening the eighth edition of ‘Bus World India 2018’.
Over the next five years, the state government will phase out diesel buses
deployed for public transport in Bengaluru, deputy chief minister G
Parameshwara said on Tuesday, giving hope to citizens long complaining
about rising pollution.

The city will, instead, have electric buses for public transport,
Parameshwara, who also holds the Bengaluru development portfolio, said
after opening the eighth edition of ‘Bus World India 2018’, an exhibition
of buses here at the international exhibition centre near Peenya. Companies
including Tata Motors
<https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tata-motors-ltd/stocks/companyid-12934.cms>NSE
3.14 %
<https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tata-motors-ltd/stocks/companyid-12934.cms>,
MG Automotives, Force Motors
<https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/force-motors-ltd/stocks/companyid-14011.cms>NSE
0.00 %
<https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/force-motors-ltd/stocks/companyid-14011.cms>
and
Olectra (formerly Goldstone) showcased their latest passenger vehicles and
innovations during the event.

“Over 70 lakh vehicles use Bengaluru roads every day and our roads were not
built to take so much of traffic load. We require an efficient public
transport system including buses. There is a proposal with our government
to replace all buses with electric buses in about five years,” Parameshwara
said. His comment of converting the BMTC
<https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/BMTC> fleet in five years
appears to be ambitious as none of the BMTC’s 6,500 buses is electric.
Though the corporation had introduced an electric bus
<https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/electric-bus> on a pilot basis
in 2014, the services were suspended in three months and it did not venture
into buying such buses due to high cost and maintenance.

Last year, the transport utility changed its mind and initiated the process
of purchasing electric buses as the Union government had come out with a
subsidy. In February, Hyderabad-based Olectra Greentech was listed to
provide 80 buses to the BMTC but it has not awarded the work yet.

Transport experts believe that converting the fleet into electric is a step
in the right direction but point out that it could take much longer time.
“Production and availability of electric vehicles is a real challenge.
Though it’s good to have goals such as this, the government should
encourage production and import of electric vehicles,” urbanist Ashwin
Mahesh said.