A Greener Ride for Thane: New Electric Buses

* AI Generated image...

Thane is getting ready for a major upgrade in its public transport. To help reduce city pollution, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) and Thane Municipal Transport (TMT) plan to bring 180 new electric buses on the roads. This move is part of the central government's 'Clean Air Action Plan'.

The new buses will be fully electric, air-conditioned (AC), and eco-friendly. The planned fleet of 180 buses includes:

100 mid-sized (9-meter) AC electric buses.

70 standard-sized (12-meter) AC electric buses.

10 double-decker AC electric buses.

These new buses will mostly run on crowded routes, like Ghodbunder Road, to help daily commuters.

Electric buses need strong charging setups. The TMC is building special charging stations at three main depots.

Kolshet Depot: This will be a major hub. It will get ₹14 crore for electrical facilities and ₹10 crore for civil works.

Kalwa and Mullabag Depots: Each of these depots will get ₹7 crore for electrical setups and ₹5 crore for civil works.

While electric buses are great for the environment, they are expensive to run. Over the next 12 years, the total cost to run and maintain these buses will be around ₹1,096 crore. However, the money collected from selling tickets is only expected to be around ₹666 crore. This leaves a huge gap of about ₹430 crore over 12 years. Every year, the buses will face a loss of nearly ₹35.85 crore. To help cover this heavy cost, the TMT has proposed an increase in passenger bus fares. If approved, this fare hike could help reduce the yearly loss by about ₹19 crore.

Bus fares in Thane have not increased since July 2015. Previous requests to raise ticket prices were rejected. Now, a price increase might be necessary to keep this eco-friendly transport system running smoothly.

The central government is helping by giving a grant of about ₹64.52 crore to buy these buses. Even with the financial challenges, adding these buses is a big step forward. It promises cleaner air, less noise, and a more comfortable daily commute for the citizens of Thane.

Reference:

"Thane's 180 E-Bus Plan Faces Rs 430 Crore Revenue Gap, Fare Hike Proposed", RE Mumbai.

"Thane: TMT Bus Fare Hike on Cards as 180 E-Buses Add to Loss Burden", Mumbai Live.

"Thane transport body unveils Rs 791.86 cr budget, focuses on expansion of e-bus fleet", PTI News / ThePrint.

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