The Himachal government is striving to create adequate charging infrastructure in and around Shimla so as to facilitate plying of e-buses in the city and make it a 'Green City', Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Wednesday.
The Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) has started the process of setting up five new charging stations for 70 e-buses running in Shimla city and about Rs 3.63 crore has been deposited by the HRTC to the state electricity board for the installation of transformers for these charging stations, Sukhu said in a statement. HRTC has also floated tenders for purchasing 75 new electric buses.
Sukhu said that the fleet of over 1,500 buses of HRTC will be replaced with electric buses in a phased manner and for this adequate charging and related infrastructure will be created. In order to provide adequate charging facilities to the buses plying within the 40 km radius of Shimla city, the new charging points will be set up at Taradevi, Tutikandi Crossing, Lalpani, Junga and Theog.
Besides, the capacity of the 1,000 KVA charging station installed at Dhalli will also be increased to 2,000 KVA. The electricity board will provide transformers for all these charging stations and e-bus chargers will be installed. Under the Smart City Mission, 20 e-buses have been provided to Shimla city increasing its fleet from 50 to 70. Out of these, six buses have been provided to each of New Shimla and Sanjauli sectors and eight buses to the bus stand sector. Since all these 70 e-buses are plying on local routes within the city, the public transport system in the state capital will be fully transformed and it will help keep the pristine environment of Shimla city clean and pollution free.
Sukhu said that the electric vehicle industry in India was multiplying and the State Government also launched schemes and incentives to promote electric mobility in Himachal to ensure that the pristine environment of the State remains carbon-free of the ever-increasing numbers of vehicles using fossil fuel. He said that the state government has taken many initiatives to install charging stations on National and State Highways and other prominent roads besides Shimla city and an enduring process for identification of land for it at the district level.