pune

Updated: Aug 09, 2019 15:30 IST

The Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) has been allotted 150 electric buses by the department of heavy industries of the central government under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles in India scheme (Fame-II), which was launched in March this year.

The PMPML on Thursday issued a press release stating that the department of heavy industries approved a total of 5,595 electric buses for 64 cities in the country and Pune got 150 buses.

The public bus utility would also get ₹55 lakh grant per bus under this scheme to build infrastructure and boost adoption of electric buses.

Nayana Gunde, chairman, PMPML, said, “We had submitted a proposal for getting e-buses under the Fame-II scheme earlier this year. The central government announced the allocation of buses on Thursday.”

“Phase-II Fame scheme proposes to give a push to electric vehicles (EVs) in public transport and seeks to encourage adoption of electric vehicles by way of market creation and demand aggregation. The draft scheme envisages the holistic growth of electric vehicle industry, including providing for charging infrastructure, research and development of electric vehicle technologies and push towards greater indigenisation,” she added.

The PMPML already inducted 30 electric buses into its fleet in February this year and is in the process of procuring 500 more such buses.

The electric buses are air conditioned and have been on plying on the city roads since the last few months. Commuters are giving good feedback regarding the buses. “I travel by PMPML e-bus on Bhekrainagar – Narveer Tanaji Wadi route. The bus is clean and is air-conditioned. It is comfortable to travel by AC buses as it is a better option to travel, said Vipul Alekar, a commuter .

The work order to procure 500 more buses has already been issues.

Administrative sources said that since the PMPML did not submit a proposal under the Fame 1 scheme last year, it had missed procuring electric buses then, but now it has been allotted 150 buses under phase-II of the scheme.