A fleet of new electric buses has begun operating in Vadodara as part of the Centre's 'PM e-Bus Sewa' scheme, with the city aiming to expand its zero-emission public transport network to 250 buses in the coming months. The first batch of 30 air-conditioned electric buses under the PM e-Bus Sewa scheme was flagged off in Vadodara on Monday, marking the beginning of a phased rollout that will eventually see 250 electric buses operating across the city.
The buses were flagged off from GSFC Gate No. 1 by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in the presence of Union Cabinet Minister Manohar Lal Khattar during the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference. The initiative forms part of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation's efforts to promote cleaner public transport under its 'Clean City-Green City' vision.
The Central Government has increased the sanctioned fleet for Vadodara from the originally approved 100 buses to 250 AC electric buses in view of the city's growing transport requirements. Of these, 130 buses are to be supplied in the first phase, with the initial batch of 30 commencing operations.
According to the state government, the buses use zero-emission technology, which is expected to reduce the city's carbon footprint while providing a cleaner mode of public transport. All vehicles are fully air-conditioned and designed to operate with minimal noise.
The buses are equipped with CCTV cameras, a Passenger Counting System and a Driver Monitoring System to improve passenger safety and operational oversight. Fire extinguishers and first-aid kits have also been installed for emergency preparedness. The new fleet has been designed to improve accessibility.
The buses are wheelchair accessible, with priority seating reserved for persons with disabilities and senior citizens. Special "pink seats" have also been earmarked for women passengers, while selected buses are fitted with hydraulic lifts and ramps to assist passengers with reduced mobility.
Passengers will be able to purchase tickets using cash, UPI, ticketing cards and a mobile application. The buses are also equipped with GPS-based live tracking and a Passenger Information System for route announcements and travel updates. To support operations, dedicated charging stations have been established at Gotri, Sayajigunj, Nizampura, Sayajipura and Makarpura.
Among those present at the flag-off ceremony were Minister of State, Dr Manishaben Vakil; Chief Whip of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly, Balkrishna Shukla; Chief Secretary M. K. Das, legislators and other public representatives.
Officials said the expansion of the electric bus fleet is intended to strengthen Vadodara's public transport system while reducing emissions from urban transport as additional buses are introduced under the scheme.