Rs 57,613 Cr for 10,000 e-Buses, TS to benefit

Hyderabad: The public bus facility in Telangana state is set for a shot in the arm as the Union Cabinet on Wednesday endorsed the PM-eBus Sewa initiative to enhance city bus operations, at an overall cost of Rs 57,613 crore, with the Centre contributing Rs 20,000 crore.

As per the announcement made by Union minister Anurag Thakur, 10,000 e-buses will be initiated under the project under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.

Thakur said that the decision was ratified by the Union Cabinet in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Further, he said that the Centre’s backing will sustain bus operations for 10 years.

As per the plan, the scheme will be extended to cities having populations above three lakh, as per the 2011 Census. As many as 45,000 to 55,000 direct job opportunities are expected to be created from the project.

“In a total of 169 cities, 10,000 e-buses will be integrated under PPP model. Furthermore, infrastructure enhancements will take place in 181 cities as part of the Green Urban Mobility Initiatives,” Thakur said.

Officials of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation said they are waiting for correspondence from the Centre to get full details on the number of buses that will be allotted for Telangana state.