BMTC, India’s second-largest electric bus operator, plans to double its electric bus fleet by 2025 and install new charging stations across the city.
In a major step in promoting sustainable mobility, the BMTC has laid down its strategy to add more electric vehicles to its fleet and plans to double the figure by 2025. At present, 1,027 e-buses are being run by the organisation out of 6,158 buses in its fleet. This magnanimous expansion holds the potential for a cleaner atmosphere for Bengaluru and significantly enhanced carbon emission standards for its mode of transport, making it a decisive shift towards Green Bengaluru.
Current Fleet
Various models funded under the FAME-2 scheme currently in BMTC’s electric bus fleet include the following: It has 637 electric buses from TML Smart City Mobility Solutions Limited, which is a part of Tata Motors, 90 nine-metre JBM Group e-buses, and 300 twelve-metre e-buses built by Switch Mobility, which is part of Ashok Leyland. These buses are mainly non-AC and have been bought under a gross cost contract model that covers the maintenance and supply of drivers.
These electric buses, which were launched some time back, have already had a considerable positive environmental impact. The authorities say that running these e-buses has cut the use of diesel by roughly 51,000 litres per day, reducing CO₂ emissions by around 138,000 kilograms daily. This initiative does not only prove helpful in cutting emissions but also helps the air quality in the active city.
Expansion Plans
To cater to the addition of twice the number of electric vehicles, BMTC will introduce new charging points in different areas. Speaking on the plan to install the charging stations, a senior official said that the stations will be deployed at driver halts and TTMCs and depots. Drivers will be given a break time of 45 minutes to charge the buses during the break time to ensure they are well-charged and ready to transport other passengers.
The plan also involves expanding the required fleet by 760 more e-buses, which will increase the general capacity and coverage of public transport in the city of Bengaluru. This addition forms part of a long-term plan to replace the old JN fleet with a new one to meet the population’s growing desire for rail transport spearheaded by the government’s mass transportation incentives, such as the Shakti scheme that seeks to offer free transport for women.
Environmental Impact
It might be said that BMTC has made a massive step forward in terms of a decrease in environmental impact with the introduction of electric buses. BMTC is endeavouring to reduce its carbon imprint by adopting electric vehicles. Preventing today’s fleet from producing hazardous gases or smoke significantly reduces the negative impacts of its emissions on the quality of air in Bengaluru. With pollution challenges arising within the city, this transition to electric mobility is playing an important role in sustainable urbanisation.
Furthermore, the continuous investment in growing the stock of EVs is in line with the need to regulate emissions of greenhouse gases and shift towards more sustainable sources of energy. Based on the analysis, it can be inferred that the projected rise in sales of electric buses is a clear indication that decision-makers are gradually realising the need for societal green mobility.
Future Outlook
While planning to achieve this noble expansion, BMTC is also meeting operational requirements by recruiting more employees. The company intends to hire 2,500 conductors who will in turn be deployed to operate the new electric buses. This will be helpful to BMTC as it will be able to deliver quality services as it expands to meaningfully provide an efficient service to clients as more vehicles are produced on the roads.
BMTC’s plan of doubling the number of its electric buses and strengthening the charging points by 2025 may be seen as an encouraging sign for the development of public transport in Bengaluru. Besides solving the current transportation issues, this initiative will help solve long-term environmental issues of sustainability. Such a thing will surely prove advantageous in the years to come when Bengaluru continues to expand in terms of its population density, as well as the industry that comprises public transport, which must continue to evolve to meet the demands of a progressive city.
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