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Dehradun: In a bid to reduce air pollution and improve public transport facilities in the state, Uttarakhand Transport Corporation (UTC) has announced to include electric and CNG buses in its fleet. The state plans to get 50 electric and 10 CNG buses by 2020. The decision comes after UTC officials received overwhelmingly positive response following the trial run of electric buses between Dehradun and Mussoorie last year and between Nainital and Haldwani earlier this year.

UTC general manager (administration) Deepak Jain told TOI that if everything goes as planned, the corporation will receive the electric and CNG buses very soon. "All the new buses will be operated under Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. An MoU will soon be inked with Indraprastha Gas Limited in New Delhi as the CNG buses are to ply between Dehradun and Delhi in the first phase," Jain said. The official added that at least 30 of the total electric buses to be received by the UTC will ply in Dehradun district under the Smart City project and among these 30 buses, 22 will operate in the capital city.

While CNG buses are expected to join the UTC fleet by this year’s end, the authorities will be floating tenders for electric buses next month. The buses will be bought with the funds provided by the Centre. Observers say that the move will save millions of rupees per month that is presently spent on fuels.

Source: ET Auto