Raj govt planing to purchase 300 electric buses

The Rajasthan government plans to purchase 600 new buses, 300 of them electric, Local Self Government Department Minister Shanti Dhariwal told the House Tuesday.

Replying to a question during the Question Hour, Dhariwal said the new AC and non-AC buses will provide relief to the residents.

During a meeting on May 10, a decision was taken to purchase 600 such buses. These buses will be operated on PPP model and the purchase will put the economic burden of Rs 100 crore on the state exchequer, the minister said.

He said the state government has written to the Heavy Industry Department, the Government of India, in this regard.

Apart from this, NTPC has expressed interest in running electric buses. They are being tested and if found in the right interest of the state, these would also be considered.

Dhariwal said the operation of low floor buses started from 2010-2011 when 280 buses were purchased. In 2012, 30 non-AC mini buses were bought while 108 buses were purchased in 2013.