Citizens to get eco-friendly, affordable, reliable, and convenient transportation: CM Sai

Raipur, November 30

Citizens of four cities in Chhattisgarh – Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg-Bhilai, and Korba – will soon have access to eco-friendly, affordable, reliable, and convenient transportation. A total of 240 electric buses will be operated in these four cities under the Prime Minister’s Electric Bus Service. On the initiative of Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Say, the Government of India has approved 100 electric buses for Raipur, 50 each for Bilaspur and Durg-Bhilai, and 40 for Korba under the Prime Minister’s Electric Bus Service. At the state level, SUDA has been made the nodal agency and the Urban Public Service Society formed in the respective districts has been made the implementing agency.
Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Say said that the commencement of the electric bus service will improve air quality and protect the environment through reduced carbon emissions in the cities of Chhattisgarh. With low energy consumption and better fuel efficiency, citizens will have the facility of comfortable travel. It will be developed as an alternative to the metro or as a complementary mode of transport in cities so that people get affordable, reliable, and convenient transportation.
Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Urban Administration and Development Shri Arun Sav said that the Prime Minister’s Electric Bus Service Scheme has been started by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to improve the public transport infrastructure in urban areas. In this innovative public transport scheme, the central government will provide financial assistance to cities for the purchase and operation of buses. A large part of it will also be spent on developing infrastructure such as bus depots and BTM power infrastructure in cities. He informed that three types of buses – standard, medium, and mini – will be operated under the scheme. The number of buses has been determined based on the population of the cities.
He informed that the state government has accelerated the preparations to launch these electric buses on the roads and has also approved the invitation of tenders by approving a total of Rs. 67.40 crore for bus depots and BTM power infrastructure in all four cities. The State Urban Development Agency of the Urban Administration and Development Department has approved the amount for both these works and asked the Urban Public Service Society formed separately for the operation of electric bus service in all four cities to invite tenders.
SUDA has issued administrative approval of Rs. 14.33 crore to Raipur Urban Public Service Society for the civil infrastructure of the bus depot to start bus service in Raipur. This includes a central share of Rs. 8.60 crore and a state share of Rs. 5.73 crore. SUDA has also approved Rs. 12.90 crore for BTM power infrastructure. SUDA has issued administrative approval of Rs. 6.73 crore to Durg-Bhilai Urban Public Service Society for the civil infrastructure of the bus depot for electric buses in Durg-Bhilai. This includes a central share of Rs. 4.04 crore and a state share of Rs. 2.69 crore. Rs. 11.02 crore has been approved for BTM power infrastructure there. An administrative approval of Rs. 8.37 crore has been granted to Bilaspur Urban Public Service Society for the civil infrastructure of the bus depot in Bilaspur. This includes a central share of Rs. 5.02 crore and a state share of Rs. 3.35 crore. Rs. 3.08 crore has been approved for BTM power infrastructure. Similarly, an administrative approval of Rs. 7.19 crore has been issued to Korba Urban Public Service Society for the civil infrastructure of the bus depot in Korba. This includes a central share of Rs. 4.31 crore and a state share of Rs. 2.88 crore. Rs. 3.78 crore has been approved for BTM power infrastructure there.
Cities Divided into Four Categories, Buses Approved Based on Population
Under the Prime Minister’s Electric Bus Service, cities have been divided into four categories based on population. Cities with a population of 20 lakh to 40 lakh are eligible for 150, cities with a population of 10 to 20 lakh and 5 to 10 lakh are eligible for 100-100, and cities with a population of less than 5 lakh are eligible for 50 electric buses. Based on this, Raipur has been approved 100 medium electric buses, Durg-Bhilai 50 medium electric buses, Bilaspur 35 medium and 15 mini electric buses, and Korba 20 medium and 20 mini electric buses. As per the scheme guidelines, the purchase and operation of buses will be done by the agency selected by the Government of India.