Mumbai: BEST unveils plan to procure 2,100 e-buses

The city’s only AC double-decker e-bus at the BMC headquarters on February 22. File Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

Around 2,100 electric buses will eventually join the BEST fleet. The undertaking has started a tender process for this, which will be completed by September 2023. After
that, the buses will be inducted into the fleet over one and a half year. According to a BEST official, currently, there are around 1,700 e-buses in the BEST fleet. Recently, an air-conditioned double-decker was pressed into service by the undertaking.

The undertaking has decided to replace all of its 1,200 conventional buses with electric vehicles (EVs). After their lives end, they will be replaced with electric models," the official said. The cost of procuring 2,100 e-buses is Rs 4,000 crore. During the meeting at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters held by Additional Municipal Commissioner Dr Sanjeev Kumar on Wednesday, BEST officials revealed their plan to create an electric fleet.

Also Read: Mumbai: BEST plans to extend tap-in, tap-out service to all buses by year-end

The Central and state government had a few years ago announced their intention to convert vehicles used for public transport into EVs in a bid to crack down on carbon emissions. As per the master plan, the BEST has decided to increase its fleet to 10,000 buses, all of which will run on electricity. Currently, there are only six electric vehicles in the BMC's fleet. "We have started the administrative process of purchasing 35 EVs," said an official. The civic body has 966 regular cars in addition to over 500 heavy vehicles, including buses and dumpers. "In the future, the BMC will use only EVs," said an official.

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No of electric vehicles in the BMC fleet