The Mumbai-Pune route’s diesel buses are gradually being replaced by all-electric e-Shivneri buses by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). Only 30 diesel buses remain out of the 100 that were previously operating on this busy route.
In a few months, MSRTC hopes to totally wipe out diesel buses on this particular route. According to reports, MSRTC may electrify all of the buses travelling this route by Diwali.
“The e-buses that are now operating on this route, according to Shekhar Channe, MD, MSRTC, are already making money. Our lease rent to the private operator on a wet lease is around Rs 57 per km, while our earning is Rs 70 per km, which has helped us make some profits”, someone said.
“On the Dadar-Pune, Thane-Pune, and Borivali-Pune pathways, MSRTC has been running Volvo and Scania buses fueled by diesel. In order to connect Mumbai and Pune, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has made substantial progress in electrifying its bus fleet. Out of the 100 scheduled electric buses, 70 percent of the Shivneri AC buses on this route reportedly run on electricity”, according to a guy.
The objective is to remove all diesel buses from this route in the upcoming months, with only 30 diesel buses still needing to be replaced.
The managing director of MSRTC, Shekhar Channe, says that once the transfer is complete, travellers may look forward to a relaxing and calm trip between the two cities on the Pune Motorway. Notably, the advent of electric buses has demonstrated
Notably, the company has benefited financially from the emergence of electric buses. Since the very beginning, these electric buses have turned a profit, with profits exceeding lease expenses.
Olectra Greentech Ltd. provides the electric buses, which are well liked by passengers. They are a component of the Central Government’s Fame-2 green fuel car subsidy programme. Mumbai and Pune will have plenty of e-charging stations, including quick chargers that can recharge a bus’s battery in just two hours, to ensure smooth travel.
MSRTC also placed work orders for hundreds of new electric buses, notably 12-metre and 9-metre models, in addition to the development on the Mumbai-Pune route. The 9-metre electric buses are shorter and will run on routes in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, including some that go as far as Vasai-Virar, Palghar, and Kalyan.
Diesel expenditures, which now make up a sizable amount of MSRTC’s operating expenses, will likely be drastically reduced by this electrification project. With nearly 54 lakh regular passengers on all bus routes in Maharashtra, the corporation predicts reduced expenses and steady growth in ridership. This expansion can be attributed to a number of things, including an increase in the number of senior citizens and women who take MSRTC buses because they get discounts and advantages.
In addition to lowering carbon emissions, these buses are beneficial for MSRTC. The bus is wet-leased for 57 rupees per kilometre, earning the company 70 rupees per kilometre.
Additional comfort amenities, including WiFi, mobile charging stations, and security CCTV cameras, are available on buses.