BEST orders 1,900 electric buses

This picture has been used for representational purpose

The BEST undertaking on Monday said that it would buy 1,900 electric buses in addition to the 386 electric buses that it has already procured.

BEST General Manager Lokesh Chandra told mid-day that all the buses will be air-conditioned and 1,400 will be full-size 12-metre-long single decker buses. While there will be 400 midi electric buses, 100 will be minibuses.

Maharashtra Environment and Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray said he was glad that the undertaking had finally put out a tender notice for the e-buses, adding that the Centre was also assisting other cities in Maharashtra to increase their bus fleets.

Electric buses can usually travel up to 200 kilometres with one single charge.

Meanwhile, the BJP said if the BEST accepts tenders which have come in for its digital ticket initiative, it will face a loss of R35 crore. Its group leader Prabhakar Shinde alleged that attepts are being made to "benefit a certain company."