AP plans major push for electric buses under PM-eBus Sewa

Vijayawada: Chief secretary G Sai Prasad directed officials of the AP State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) to prepare a comprehensive plan to fully utilise the PM-eBus Sewa scheme across the state. He issued the instructions while chairing the third state-level sanctioning committee meeting at the Secretariat on Wednesday.

During the meeting, Sai Prasad stressed the importance of introducing electric buses to replace the RTC’s ageing fleet. He reviewed the ongoing efforts to roll out 750 e-buses across 11 cities in the first phase and said the initiative would help achieve key goals such as fuel conservation, reduced pollution and improved public transport efficiency. He also instructed officials to ensure proper training for drivers and technical staff in operating and maintaining the new electric buses.

The chief secretary said the RTC must work towards greater efficiency and asked officials to take necessary steps to strengthen its performance.

The PM-eBus Sewa scheme, launched by the Central government, aims to deploy 10,000 air-conditioned electric buses in 116 cities across 26 states and Union Territories by 2027.

The scheme focuses on improving urban transport in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities with populations between 3 lakh and 40 lakh, enhancing overall commuter experience.

Transport and roads and buildings special chief secretary M T Krishna Babu, gave a detailed presentation on the scheme. He said 100 e-buses are already operational in Tirupati, with plans to add more.

He also noted that Rs 129.51 crore has been allocated for developing infrastructure at 12 locations, with 60 per cent funding from the Centre and 40 per cent from the state.

Senior officials, including RTC MD Bala Subrahmanyam and finance secretary Ronald Rose, attended the meeting.