Pune: PMPML e-bus fleet swells, charging points remain few
PUNE : The Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) has added 26 more electric buses to its fleet, taking the total number of such buses to 96.However, a source in the transport body said there is an immediate need to arrange charging points at more depots to correspond with the increase in e-buses.
At the moment, the e-buses are operational on 19 routes.
“The fleet had 70 e-buses and new buses have been added very recently. Of the total, 30 buses have been given to the Nigdi depot and 66 to the Bhekrainagar depot. Only these two depots have charging points for the e-buses. Talks are on with the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) to provide charging points at other depots,” a PMPML official told TOI.
“These buses will run at 10- and 15-minute intervals on the 19 routes. There is no change in the fare structure. For example, the routes between Nigdi-Katraj, Hadapsar-Wagholi and Hadapsar-Katraj will have buses plying every 10-minutes. Similarly, routes like Nigdi-Shewalwadi, Dange Chowk-Hinjewadi, PMC-Akurdi railway station, Nigdi-Bhosari, PMC-Bhekrainagar, Bhekrainagar-Pimple Gurav, Bhekrainagar-Pune station, Bhekerainagar-NaTaWadi and Bhekrainagar-Chinchwad Gaon will have buses at 15-minute intervals,” said Subhash Gaikwad, public relations officer, PMPML.
A source in the transport body said that there was an urgent need to arrange charging points at more depots considering that the fleet of e-buses had increasing.
“Depots at Baner and Balewadi are expected to get charging points soon. It is the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) which has to put up more electricity points at the depots so that the buses can be charged. If more charging points are not provided soon, the PMPML might have a problem in future,” said another PMPML official.
The number of e-buses is expected to increase to 150 in the near future.
Source : timesofindia
