TTD To Add 25 E-Buses, Strengthen Free Public Transport In Tirumala
TTD will add 25 Reliance-provided e-buses, expanding its electric fleet to 38 and strengthening free public transport for Tirumala devotees.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is set to strengthen public transport in Tirumala with 25 additional electric buses being provided by Reliance, taking its e-bus fleet to 38.
The move is aimed at reducing pollution, promoting green mobility and providing devotees with better access to free public transport within the hill town. It is also expected to reduce their dependence on private taxis and offer relief from overcharging by taxi operators.
The 25 buses are being provided by Reliance as part of its support for the TTD’s electric mobility initiative. The expansion is expected to reduce the use of conventional fuels and vehicular pollution in Tirumala. Electric buses also operate more quietly, making them suitable for the temple town.
The TTD already operates 13 electric buses in three shifts — from 5 am to 1 pm, 1 pm to 9 pm and 9 pm to 5 am. They currently make more than 300 trips a day. Each bus covers about 6.5 km per trip and serves 20 bus stops across Tirumala. The bus frequency is currently one bus every two minutes, compared to one every 10 minutes earlier.
TTD transport officials said each bus currently carries around 200 passengers during a trip, with devotees boarding and alighting at different stops. With 10 buses operating in each of the three daily shifts, the 25-bus fleet is expected to make around 250 trips per shift, or about 750 trips a day, ferrying thousands of devotees.
Reliance will provide 50 drivers and set up a charging station, reducing the financial burden on the TTD. The new buses have been brought to the charging station on the Tirumala Ring Road and are expected to be inaugurated by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu during his visit to present silk robes to Lord Venkateswara for the Salakatla Brahmotsavams.