PM E-Drive buses may ply on inter-city, tourist routes

Plan to be implemented after competitive bidding for all nine cities is completed

- Manas Pimpalkhare & Rituraj Baruah

Inter-city routes and tourist trails may open up for electric buses which are now confined to cities under a central scheme, two people familiar with the plans said.

The ₹10,900-crore PM E-Drive scheme rolled out in September 2024 to expand city transport may soon be expanded for this purpose, the people said on the condition of anonymity. On Friday, the government allotted 10,900 buses under the scheme, which aims at a total of 14,028 buses.

"The allotment announced on 22 May will first be tendered, followed by demand generation and tendering of more electric buses to remaining cities," one of the two people cited above said.

"Then more buses will be deployed for inter-city purposes, and for some tourist destinations, for instance, hilly areas."

The plan to permit electric buses for inter-city travel and tourism purposes will be implemented after the competitive bidding for all cities is completed, the officials mentioned above said.