NTPC to provide 20 e-buses to Andaman and Nicobar Islands

State-owned power producer NTPC on Friday said it will deploy 20 electric buses in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and will also set up public charging infrastructure in the Union Territory (UT).

NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd (NVVN) has signed an agreement with Department of Transport of Andaman and Nicobar Islands to deploy the e-buses, NTPC said in a statement.

NVVN is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NTPC.

Under the project, the company is offering 20 GPS-enabled air-conditioned e-buses.

Apart from deployment of e-buses, NTPC and Andaman administration are collaborating for setting up public charging infrastructure in the UT, it said.

The company expects commercial operations of the service to begin by August this year.

"Introduction of electric buses in the island will go a long way in protecting the diverse ecology by completely eliminating tailpipe emission, low levels of sound from e-buses shall also significantly reduce noise pollution," NTPC said.

The initiative will lead to an increase in overall usage of public transport in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, it said.