Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation to induct 300 electric buses

Officials said that these buses will be operated on intercity routes like Bengaluru- Tumakuru, Bengaluru-Kolar, and Bengaluru- Chikkaballapur. Of the 300 e-buses, 50 will be for the Tumakuru division, 45 for Kolar, 45 for Mangaluru, 40 for Chikkaballapur, 40 for Puttur, 30 for Mysuru Rural, 20 for Mysuru Urban, and 20 for Ramanagara.

"Under the lease model, KSRTC will provide only the conductor, and the private firm will hire a driver, operate and maintain buses, as well as set up charging infrastructure. We will pay them on a per km basis," said a KSRTC official.

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The selected firm should operate each bus for 250 km a day and should cover 180 km on a single charge. The buses will be equipped with CCTVs, panic buttons, dash cameras, and other features.

In January 2023, KSRTC launched intercity AC e-buses under the 'EV Power Plus' segment. All 50 e-buses inducted under the Centre's FAME-II subsidy are operational from Bengaluru to Mysuru, Madikeri, Virajpet, Davanagere, Shivamogga, and Chikkamagaluru.

Separately, KSRTC has invited tenders to supply 70 BS-VI diesel fully built non-AC sleeper coaches and 30 seater-cum-sleeper coaches.

Also, read: Karnataka: KSRTC to roll out non-AC seater-cum-sleeper buses