Bengaluru to get 320 AC electric buses; Koramangala flyover work set to resume

Bengaluru will soon launch its first fleet of air-conditioned electric buses. The state government gave the green light on September 7 for the induction of 320 such buses under a Gross Cost Contract (lease) financing model.

This is the first time AC e-buses are being operated by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC).

"Till now, we introduced only non-AC electric buses. Our plan is to replace diesel Volvo buses on Vajra (tech corridors) and Vayu Vajra (airport) routes with these new AC e-buses in a phased manner. We will soon initiate the tender process," A BMTC official told Moneycontrol.

Currently, all non-AC electric buses are being inducted under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model. BMTC's existing non-AC electric bus fleet includes 90 NTPC-JBM Auto JV 9-meter midi-buses, and 300 Switch Mobility 12-meter buses. BMTC is also inducting 921 Tata Motors 12-meter non-AC e-buses. "We currently have a prototype of the Tata Motors e-bus in operation, and we expect to receive 186 buses by the end of October, with the remainder arriving by March 2024," said a BMTC official.

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Karnataka law and parliamentary affairs minister HK Patil said, "BMTC will induct 320 AC e-buses at an estimated cost of Rs 150 crore under the GCC model. Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation and Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation will buy 250 diesel buses each, and North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation will purchase 375 new buses."

Patil also highlighted a 30 percent surge in passengers due to the implementation of the Shakti scheme, which provides free bus travel for women passengers. "Plans are underway to issue Shakti smart cards," he said.

Separately, BMTC will also invite a tender to purchase five AC double-decker electric buses. Double-decker buses, once a common sight in Bengaluru during the 1970s and 1980s, are set to make a comeback after being phased out in 1997.

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Koramangala flyover to be resumed

The state cabinet has also granted approval for the cost escalation of the Koramangala flyover project from Rs 204 crore in 2017 to Rs 307.96 crore now. The 2.4-kilometer-long flyover, stretching from the Kendriya Sadan junction to the Ejipura Main Road junction in Koramangala, planned in 2014, with Simplex Infrastructures received the contract for Rs 203 crore in May 2017.

Despite an initial completion deadline of November 2019 and an extended deadline to December 2020, the project faced delays, due to financial issues with Kolkata-based Simplex. BBMP, having already disbursed Rs 72 crore to the contractor, faced scrutiny from the high court for not coming up with a clear project timeline. Subsequently, BBMP terminated the contract with Simplex in March 2022. Following three unsuccessful attempts to re-tender the project, Hyderabad-based B Seenaiah & Company (Projects) Limited (BSCPL) participated in the fourth tender. With the state government's approval, BBMP is likely to issue the work order to BSCPL.

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