Centre mulls 100 electric buses for each town: Minister
9 March 2025 11:04 PM IST9 March 2025 11:04 PM IST
Union minister for rural development and communication Dr Pemmasani Chandrasekhar on Sunday said, the Centre is planning to allocate 100 electric buses to each town, including Guntur and Mangalagiri, to ensure environment protection.
Union minister for rural development and communication Dr Pemmasani Chandrasekhar on Sunday said, the Centre is planning to allocate 100 electric buses to each town, including Guntur and Mangalagiri, to ensure environment protection.(Image:DC)
Vijayawada: Union minister for rural development and communication Dr Pemmasani Chandrasekhar on Sunday said, the Centre is planning to allocate 100 electric buses to each town, including Guntur and Mangalagiri, to ensure environment protection.
The minister conducted an inspection of the NTR bus stand in Guntur. He said the electric buses, capable of covering approximately 200 kilometers on a single charge, are part of a broader strategy to promote eco-friendly transport solutions. Under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, the Centre will compensate operational deficits at a rate of ₹25 per kilometer.
Dr Pemmasani stressed the necessity of a dedicated electronic infrastructure to manage 100 buses, requiring about five acres of land to facilitate operations and charging facilities. He said discussions were held with APSRTC chairman Konakalla Narayana to identify suitable locations to manage electric buses.
The minister also discussed the importance of the bus stand which, initially established by NTR, spans over 20 acres, focusing on future needs and public facilities. The officials said plans are underway to allocate five acres and relocate the existing RTC garage to optimise space and revenue generation for the RTC.
Reflecting on the significance of public transport, the minister said, "The bus stand is a vital transport route for the underprivileged. We aim to modernise it with necessary amenities such as toilets while creating additional income opportunities."
During the inspection, he interacted with waiting passengers, inquired about the RTC management's amenities and gathered feedback on bus schedules, cleanliness of restrooms, and the adequacy of the staff.
He also evaluated the RTC cargo services counters, encouraging users to report any deficiencies in booking services. Many users voiced concerns about the limited number of booking counters, leading to long waiting times.
Responding swiftly, the minister instructed the parcel service contractor to set up additional booking counters immediately and insisted on providing essential facilities to people.
Guntur East MLA Mohammed Naseer Ahmed, former MLA Raavi Venkataramana, GMC deputy mayor Sheikh Sajeela, APSRTC district public transport officer Ravi Kant, RTC ED Nagendra Prasad and Guntur-2 depot manager Abdul Salam and others were present at the event.
Dr Pemmasani stressed the necessity of a dedicated electronic infrastructure to manage 100 buses, requiring about five acres of land to facilitate operations and charging facilities. He said discussions were held with APSRTC chairman Konakalla Narayana to identify suitable locations to manage electric buses.
The minister also discussed the importance of the bus stand which, initially established by NTR, spans over 20 acres, focusing on future needs and public facilities. The officials said plans are underway to allocate five acres and relocate the existing RTC garage to optimise space and revenue generation for the RTC.
Reflecting on the significance of public transport, the minister said, "The bus stand is a vital transport route for the underprivileged. We aim to modernise it with necessary amenities such as toilets while creating additional income opportunities."
During the inspection, he interacted with waiting passengers, inquired about the RTC management's amenities and gathered feedback on bus schedules, cleanliness of restrooms, and the adequacy of the staff.
He also evaluated the RTC cargo services counters, encouraging users to report any deficiencies in booking services. Many users voiced concerns about the limited number of booking counters, leading to long waiting times.
Responding swiftly, the minister instructed the parcel service contractor to set up additional booking counters immediately and insisted on providing essential facilities to people.
Guntur East MLA Mohammed Naseer Ahmed, former MLA Raavi Venkataramana, GMC deputy mayor Sheikh Sajeela, APSRTC district public transport officer Ravi Kant, RTC ED Nagendra Prasad and Guntur-2 depot manager Abdul Salam and others were present at the event.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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