Foreign firms offer 2,000 electric buses: Laxman Savadi

Three foreign companies have each offered to provide up to 2,000 electric buses for operation as state transport corporations push to adopt them in their fleet.

Speaking to reporters, Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi, who is also the transport minister, said three companies have approached the government to invest and maintain electric bus fleets.

“One company has also offered to charge the buses at its own expense and has decided to fix prices per day. They have offered 50-,40- and 30-seater buses and the rent for a 40-seater bus will be Rs 6,000 per day,” he said.

On previous tenders for electric buses by Transport department, he said the government could not pursue the proposal as only one company responded to the tender. “After the department floated tenders twice unsuccessfully, more companies approached us,” he said.

The department was keen on taking 400 electric buses - 300 of which will be in BMTC fleet, while 50 each will be with KSRTC and NWKRTC, he said.

Savadi said the government will bring back hefty fines in a phased manner. This after facing flak from the Centre for slashing traffic fines.

Karnataka was among the states that had revised the fines notified under the new Motor Vehicles Act, 2019, due to public pressure. “Imposing heavy fines generally comes as a shock to the people. As a result, we’ve decided to increase penalties for various traffic violations in a phased manner,” he said.

Savadi said that the department was considering to adopt counselling along the lines of teachers’ counselling for transfers of staff in transport department corporations. The counselling will be intra-corporation and will address staff shortage in some transport depots, he said.