Last December, the BMTC had started running electric buses for the first time under the Bengaluru Smart City project. Of the 90 buses received by the corporation, over 80 are enjoying good patronage.
“There has been good patronage for e-buses. Presently, these buses see an occupancy of 70 to 80%. We are paying ₹51 to the operator per km. On the other hand, we are running diesel buses at close to ₹60 per km. We are only providing conductors from our side. The rest they have to manage including employing drivers and maintenance. At this juncture, we cannot make an assessment about loss and profit. These buses are operated for ten years and will benefit the corporation in the long run,” a senior BMTC official said.
Though it had received the 90 buses long ago, delay in establishing charging infrastructure forced the BMTC to buy more time to utilize all the available fleet. The buses were initially operated from Kengeri depot and then Yeshwanthpur depot. Recently, it started operating buses from K.R. Puram.
Praveen Nayak, who regularly uses e-buses said, “I have been enjoying the ride in the electric buses. They are ideal for interior roads. The BMTC should phase out old buses by introducing non-AC electric buses. Electric vehicles will help in reducing pollution levels in the city.”
