There is good news for Nagpur commuters, as a tram-like electric bus service is expected to begin in the city soon. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has initiated the process to introduce a trolley-electric bus service to align with sustainable energy adoption.
As per report by The Live Nagpur, tenders for the pilot project, funded by the Union Ministry for Road Transport and Highways, will be launched next month.
Features Of This Bus
These trolley-electric Buses will be first of its kind in India. It will operate on 52 km-long stretch of the Inner ring road. Routes such as Katol Naka, MIDC, Hingna T-Point, Chhatrapati Square, Kalamna, and Kamptee Road will be covered.
The buses will have a seating capacity of 132 passengers.
Each trolley-e-bus will consist of three interconnected units
The fares are expected to be 30% cheaper than the diesel run buses.
Feature of these buses include fully air-conditioned, CCTV surveillance, packaged food, and laptop holders at every seat.
The buses will be capable of charging wirelessly within a minute.
Nitin Gadkari On Trolley E-Buses
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Gadkari had earlier revealed, in 2024, that electric buses, comprising three interconnected units, are currently being tested on Nagpur’s ring road and will soon be introduced on a large scale. The Maharashtra government has allocated Rs. 150 crores for this project, which will begin soon.
The Minister had even taken a test ride in a 24m long World’s Longest Overhead Power Electric Trolley Bus, developed by Skoda in Prague, Czech Republic in 2023. He wrote, “After successful operation, it could become a very cost-effective alternative to highly capital-intensive metro systems, especially on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) stretches where dedicated lines for this bus, similar to metro rail, would enhance public transportation infrastructure.”
Nagpur to launch India’s first trolley-electric bus service. pic.twitter.com/GGbPqCCn8A
— Digital Bharat (@MDigitalBharat) January 21, 2025
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