Eco-friendly electric buses may soon hit the road in Mysore, thanks to Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), the Union government’s flagship programme, which has been extended till this year.
Out of the 125 buses allotted for intra-city operations here under the mission, three were electric ones. The urban division of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, Mysore, will operate green buses on select routes.
“The zero emission battery-operated buses are ideal for cities like Mysore. After Bangalore, Mysore is the second city to get hybrid buses under JNNURM in the country,” said Ramesh, Divisional Controller (Urban).
He told The Hindu over phone that a provision had been made for procuring three electric buses and they were expected to arrive in a few months.
“The green buses proposed in Mysore are likely to be similar to the electric bus introduced in Bangalore on a trial basis by BMTC. The feedback on its operation is vital for launching its services here. Maintenance of such buses needs to be studied before introducing them,” he said.
Mr. Ramesh said electric buses were expensive and needed proper maintenance. A battery charging station was essential to ensure interruption-free operation.
Asked about the expected date of their launch, Mr. Ramesh said that BMTC would run battery-operated buses in Bangalore for three months. “Launch of such buses in Mysore depends on the feedback.”
According to sources, the electric bus introduced in Bangalore has zero emission and it is air-conditioned. It is supposed to run for 250 km with a fully charged (about six hours) battery.
The 125 new buses, including 20 Volvo and eight vestibule and BS-III (low-floor) buses, allotted to Mysore are expected to strengthen the existing fleet of KSRTC and expand public transport network in Mysore.
Barring the 20 Volvo and three electric buses, the other types — low-floor and vestibule — were expected to be added to the existing 465 buses by April as their production was expected to begin soon at Bangalore, Mr. Ramesh said.
To a question, he said no decision on procuring Volvo buses had been taken in the wake of recent mishaps involving them.
The fleet of KSRTC buses in Mysore includes 45 Volvo and 41 Tata Marcopolo. In the first phase of JNNRUM, 200 buses had been added to the fleet.
