The state government has approved the purchase of 300 electric buses (e-buses) for the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC). These buses will operate on local and long routes. The new e-buses will be of Type-1 and Type-3 categories. A special feature of these buses is that they can be easily operated on long-distance routes. Once fully charged, these buses will run between 200 to 250 kilometers. The cost of one bus will be approximately 1.25 crore rupees.
After the approval of the HRTC Board of Directors, the state government has also sanctioned the purchase of e-buses. The corporation’s Vehicle Purchase Committee is currently working on defining the specifications for the buses. The corporation plans to buy Type-1 electric buses for local routes in the state’s cities. Currently, Type-1 buses are already operational in places like Shimla, Dharamshala, and other districts. For long-distance routes, the corporation proposes to purchase Type-3 electric buses. These buses will be operated not only on long routes within the state but also outside the state on routes to Chandigarh, Delhi, Ambala, and others. The proposal is to acquire the e-buses in a phased manner.
In the first phase, 100 buses are to be purchased. A charging network will also be set up along with the e-buses. As per the central and state government’s scrap policy, new electric buses will replace those that are completing 15 years in service. Additionally, electric buses will also replace buses that reach zero book value. Type-1 electric buses can run from 80 to 100 kilometers on a single charge, while Type-3 buses can travel between 200 to 250 kilometers on a single charge. Type-3 buses will also take less time to charge compared to Type-1 buses.
Following the state’s approval for the purchase of 300 e-buses, the procurement process has commenced. A decision has been made to acquire Type-1 and Type-3 category e-buses. The purchase committee is currently determining the specifications for the buses, as stated by Rohan Chand Thakur, Managing Director of HRTC.