NMC clears path for electric buses
| Date :01-Jul-2020 |
A view of the proceedings of Transport Committee of NMC that okayed induction of electric buses in fleet of Aapli Bus.
Staff Reporter :
The path is cleared for induction of electric vehicles in fleet of Aapli Bus of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). A meeting of Transport Committee was held specially on Tuesday wherein a resolution was adopted authorising civic body to go ahead with placing orders for the buses for which Central Government is ready to provide grants. NMC had floated tender for acquiring electric buses, 40 in number, and M/s EVEY Transport Pvt. Ltd submitted its bids for running these buses at Rs 72.99/km. After opening the bids, NMC engaged in negotiations and subsequently the company lowered its rate to Rs 66.33/km.
The rates were personally negotiated by Municipal Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe with senior officials of the company. As per the policy, Union Ministry of Heavy Industries is providing grants to civic body for purchasing the electric vehicles. The aim is to cut down the operations cost for public utility vehicles. Further with induction of electric vehicles the burden of petrol and diesel would gradually reduce providing affordability and reducing expenditure for the civic bodies that are struggling to cope with mounting expenses. NMC as per information is going to get aid of Rs. 45 lakh per bus while actual cost of the vehicle is Rs. 1.48 crores. As such NMC stands to get funds from Central Government to tune of Rs. 18 crores.
Central Government was ready to allocate 100 electric buses to NMC however giving the paucity of funds then Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar had restricted their numbers to just 40. Notwithstanding the sweet deal as maximum burden was being shared by Centre, even for NMC raising the balance funds could have been a heavy task. The project is being pushed by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari who has already provided five electric buses to NMC.
They are currently deployed by civic body for purpose of ladies special and designated as Tejaswini. Given the falling rates of solar energy even the cost of charging for these buses is very affordable plus they can run for long hours without need for recharging. Meanwhile, Narendra alias Balya Borkar, Chairperson, Transport Committed, directed civic officials to immediately sign the agreement with Union Ministry of Heavy Industries for purchase of electric buses. He said that the induction of electric buses would improve the air quality in city and drastically improve the travellling for citizens. Borkar also instructed officials to ensure that all the contractual employees of Aapli Buses are paid remuneration as per standing rules. The meeting was held at Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Memorial Hall at NMC Central Office, Civil Lines. Members Nitin Sathawne, Narendra Walde, Vishaka Bante, Manisha Dhawde, Vaishali Rohankar, Rupali Thakur along with Shakeel Niyaji, Transport Manager, Dr Ranjana Lade, Municipal Secretary, Ravindra Pagey, Administrative Officer, Arun Pipurde, Labour Officer, Vinay Bharadwaj, Yogesh Lunge, Mechanical Officer, were also present at the meeting.