Chandigarh, February 14 Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually launched 25 electric buses for Chandigarh on Saturday under the PM e-Bus Sewa Scheme.
Modi, who was in Guwahati to inaugurate several infrastructure projects, launched the buses as part of the Centre's effort to promote green public transport.
Punjab Governor and Union Territory Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, Mayor Saurabh Joshi, Chief Secretary H Rajesh Prasad, and other officials were present at the event here.
The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has sanctioned 428 electric buses for Chandigarh under the Prime Minister e-Bus Sewa Scheme, according to an official statement.
For the first batch of 100 buses, Convergence Energy Services Limited invited e-tenders for the hiring of buses, and an agreement was signed by the Chandigarh Administration with the lowest bidder, it said.
Under the hiring model, the operator handles the procurement, maintenance, and operation of the buses, while the department collects fare revenue.
Currently, 80 electric buses are operational in Chandigarh, and with the addition of 25 more, the total number has risen to 105, it said.
After the delivery of the remaining 75 buses from the first batch, the city will have 180 electric buses by April or May 2026.
The newly inducted 12-meter, low-floor, air-conditioned buses have a range of 224 km on a single charge.
The buses are equipped with a 400 mm low floor for easy boarding, especially for senior citizens, children, and women; a power-operated ramp and electronically controlled kneeling mechanism for commuters with disabilities.
A bus has a seating capacity of 36 passengers plus the driver, with wheelchair space, and a standing capacity of 20 passengers, the statement said.
For enhanced safety and monitoring, the buses are equipped with people-counting cameras at both doors, five CCTV cameras (including passenger area, driver behaviour, reverse and dashboard views), GPS devices, panic buttons integrated with the State Transport Authority's Command Control Centre, and stop request buttons for passenger convenience.
The Chandigarh Administration aims to replace all diesel buses operating in the tri-city area with electric buses by the end of the 2027–28 financial year, it added.
