Ahead of adding electric buses to the city's fleet, a senior GMDA official said that GMDA is setting up a substation at the proposed bus depot in Sector 48. The official explained that the project has been awarded to an agency and is expected to be operational in six months. The official stated that the substation at the bus depot is aimed at providing the necessary electrical infrastructure for charging the buses.
In addition to the substation, the official said that GMDA is also planning to construct the bus depot in Sector 48 simultaneously. The official noted that the technical evaluation for this project has already been completed, and two agencies have been qualified for the next stage of the tendering process.
The official was quoted as saying, "We are working on enhancing the city's public transportation infrastructure and accommodating the upcoming electric buses. The depot will have adequate electric infrastructure for charging bays and parking buses. Work has already been allotted to an agency for setting up the substation. For the construction of the bus depot, six agencies had participated in the bidding process, of which two have qualified for the next round. We hope to complete the tendering process soon before submitting the case for financial approval. Both works will be carried out simultaneously."
The official stated that the depot can accommodate 100 buses at a time and will have repair and maintenance workshops, washing areas, and an office complex.
The official also mentioned that last year, the central government had approved 100 electric buses for the city under the PM e-sewa scheme. The official added that subsequently, in March, the GMDA requested the union ministry of housing and urban affairs for an additional 100 e-buses without central assistance, which were also approved. Additionally, the official said that GMDA is also setting up a substation at Sector 10 bus depot.
