<p>Bengaluru: The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has started running air-conditioned electric buses to and from the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA). </p>.<p>Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy flagged off 10 such buses at the BMTC bus lounge in Terminal 2 on Thursday. </p>.<p>Eight of them are running on the KIA-14 route, connecting the airport to Royal Meenakshi Mall (Bannerghatta Road) via Vega City Mall, Jayadeva hospital, Dairy Circle and Shanthinagar TTMC, a senior BMTC official said. </p>.<p>By October 1, BMTC plans to operate 85 AC e-buses on 11 airport routes (see box). </p>.<p>They are part of a 320-bus order being leased from OHM Global Mobility Solution Ltd for Rs 65.8 per km, inclusive of driver costs. </p>.<p>The BMTC already runs 177 AC e-buses on Vajra (non-airport premium) routes and will add 58 more by October 1, said G T Prabhakara Reddy, Chief Traffic Manager (Operations), BMTC). </p>.<p>In the coming days, 30 AC e-buses will be launched from Depot 7 (Majestic), where charging infrastructure is ready and bus crew are being deployed, he added. </p>.<p>The corporation, which runs 1,646 e-buses, is inducting the AC e-buses to replace its ageing Volvo fleet, which currently stands at 434. </p>.<p>“The 177 buses on Vajra routes are running satisfactorily, so we decided to introduce them on airport routes, too,” Reddy told <span class="italic">DH</span>. </p>.<p>To operate the e-buses, BMTC has set up opportunity charging facilities near the airport, with nine chargers with a total capacity of 240 kW installed at P7 parking. </p>.<p>The BMTC invested Rs 1.5 crore in the facility while Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) provided space for free. </p>.<p>The 12-metre, low-floor (400 mm) buses are equipped with 283 kWh batteries and can run up to 225 km per day. They run 150 km on a single full charge and 75 km with opportunity charging, which takes 45-60 minutes. </p>.<p>Opportunity charging is also available at Silk Board, Kadugodi Bus Stand and Majestic. Reddy said the issue of crew shortage had been addressed. </p>.<p>The BMTC runs 156 Vayu Vajra (Volvo) buses along 22 routes, serving 14,000 passengers daily on average. </p>
<p>Bengaluru: The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has started running air-conditioned electric buses to and from the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA). </p>.<p>Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy flagged off 10 such buses at the BMTC bus lounge in Terminal 2 on Thursday. </p>.<p>Eight of them are running on the KIA-14 route, connecting the airport to Royal Meenakshi Mall (Bannerghatta Road) via Vega City Mall, Jayadeva hospital, Dairy Circle and Shanthinagar TTMC, a senior BMTC official said. </p>.<p>By October 1, BMTC plans to operate 85 AC e-buses on 11 airport routes (see box). </p>.<p>They are part of a 320-bus order being leased from OHM Global Mobility Solution Ltd for Rs 65.8 per km, inclusive of driver costs. </p>.<p>The BMTC already runs 177 AC e-buses on Vajra (non-airport premium) routes and will add 58 more by October 1, said G T Prabhakara Reddy, Chief Traffic Manager (Operations), BMTC). </p>.<p>In the coming days, 30 AC e-buses will be launched from Depot 7 (Majestic), where charging infrastructure is ready and bus crew are being deployed, he added. </p>.<p>The corporation, which runs 1,646 e-buses, is inducting the AC e-buses to replace its ageing Volvo fleet, which currently stands at 434. </p>.<p>“The 177 buses on Vajra routes are running satisfactorily, so we decided to introduce them on airport routes, too,” Reddy told <span class="italic">DH</span>. </p>.<p>To operate the e-buses, BMTC has set up opportunity charging facilities near the airport, with nine chargers with a total capacity of 240 kW installed at P7 parking. </p>.<p>The BMTC invested Rs 1.5 crore in the facility while Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) provided space for free. </p>.<p>The 12-metre, low-floor (400 mm) buses are equipped with 283 kWh batteries and can run up to 225 km per day. They run 150 km on a single full charge and 75 km with opportunity charging, which takes 45-60 minutes. </p>.<p>Opportunity charging is also available at Silk Board, Kadugodi Bus Stand and Majestic. Reddy said the issue of crew shortage had been addressed. </p>.<p>The BMTC runs 156 Vayu Vajra (Volvo) buses along 22 routes, serving 14,000 passengers daily on average. </p>