NEW DELHI: The union transport ministry in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will work on developing cost-effective battery technologies to make electric buses economically viable.

This will also help in cutting down on the carbon emissions especially in the urban areas.

"It has been decided to design electric transportation system for buses in collaboration with ISRO," a transport ministry official said.

A meeting was held on Thursday in this regard between the officials from the road and highways ministry, the science and technology ministry and ISRO, he said.

"In today's meeting there were discussions on how to develop cost-effective solutions in battery-technologies so that electric buses become economically viable," the official said.

"Both (the Road Ministry and ISRO) will work closely. The road ministry will within a week submit all its documents with regard to battery-specification requirement to ISRO. ISRO will develop a time-bound programme for the development of these commercial batteries," the official said.

The road ministry had said ISRO that it will bear for the research, the official said.

"We want to promote research and innovation in transportation technology. The ministry of transportation is committed to it," he said adding "you can anticipate some breakthrough in some 6 to 12 months".