Thane: 300 new e-buses will be added to TMT's fleet by June 2024

In order to promote the electric vehicles policy, the Thane Municipal Transport (TMT) has decided to add more than 300 new e-buses to its fleet within a year.

This development also comes in order to improve the air quality in the city.

Of the 300 buses, TMT has proposed to add 123 AC and non-AC e-buses, measuring 9 and 12 meters, within six months. These new buses cost around ₹185 crores.

Under the government’s Zero Pollution Mobility’ campaign, 42 e-buses in the next couple of months and the remaining 150 by June 2024.

Of these 123, 80 are currently functional in the city, and 20 more are expected to arrive during Navratri.

The TMT official stated that these buses are expected to run on 25 of the busiest routes, including Majiwada to Bhiwandi, Shivai Nagar to Kelkar College in Mulund and Vashi Railway Station to Retibunder Circle. Though the capacity is of 40 people, the buses will be able to carry 60 people.

The Pune-based electric bus manufacturer Olectra Greentech will manage the buses. The buses will be supplied on a gross cost contract (GCC) model basis for 15 years.

While other corporations like Navi Mumbai and Virar are paying around ₹60-70 per kilometre, TMT has purchased that tender at the lowest rate in the state at ₹61 per kilometre.

Features:

These buses will have air suspension and disc brakes on all four wheels.

The AC buses have 58 kWm power that will ensure that the temperature inside the bus is maintained even when the door is opened at some stops.

They have passed the Yeoor test, wherein these were filled with 50 sandbags weighing 50kg each and were then driven on the Yeoor Hills, stopping intermittently to check if the bus was capable of carrying the load.

Besides, around 115 old buses were scrapped last year and around ₹4.86 crore was retrieved. Currently, there are around 79 old buses, of which 17 will be scrapped by December end. By February 2024, most of the old rattling buses will be gone.

This was supposed to happen sooner as the delivery of a slot of these 123 e-buses was to occur in August 2023, but was delayed. Hence, the old buses are still in use, official added.