Government Targets HRTC Self-Reliance Within Five Years: CM Sukhu.
25 New Electric Bus Services Launched in Mandi; State Plans 1,000 More Electric and 200 Hydrogen-Powered Buses.
Shimla:
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday virtually flagged off 25 new Type-I electric bus services of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) for Mandi district, marking another major step towards strengthening clean, green and environment-friendly public transport in the state.
The new services were launched from Paddal Ground in Mandi town. The Chief Minister said the state government has been steadily expanding HRTC’s electric bus fleet as part of its vision of creating a “Green Himachal” and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
Sukhu said the state government has procured 297 Type-I electric buses, which are being deployed in various parts of the state. These buses are already operating in Shimla, Nahan, Nalagarh, Una, Haroli, Bilaspur, Dehra, Hamirpur, Palampur, Dharamshala and Nagrota.
With the required charging infrastructure now developed in Kullu, Mandi and Sundernagar, electric bus operations in these areas are also commencing, he said.
Electric buses proving effective on hilly routes
The Chief Minister said Type-I electric buses have a prescribed driving range of around 180 kilometres at 80 per cent State of Charge (SoC). Their performance in actual operations has been encouraging, particularly on routes involving Himachal Pradesh’s challenging terrain.
He pointed out that an electric bus operating on the Shimla-Chandigarh route is covering around 270 kilometres on a single charge. According to the Chief Minister, this demonstrates the potential of electric buses for long-distance inter-city transportation in the state.
Sukhu also highlighted the economic benefits of shifting HRTC towards electric mobility. Compared with conventional diesel buses, electric buses are generating savings of approximately Rs. 12–13 per kilometre in energy costs. The savings, he said, would help reduce HRTC’s fuel and operational expenditure while improving the overall efficiency of public transport services.
HRTC to become self-reliant in five years
The Chief Minister said the government is providing buses to HRTC in addition to extending an annual grant-in-aid of Rs. 840 crore to the Corporation. HRTC, he added, generates an equivalent amount of revenue through its own resources.
The state government has now set an ambitious target of making HRTC self-reliant within the next five years, Sukhu said.
As part of the long-term transition towards cleaner public transportation, the government also plans to procure 1,000 additional electric buses and 200 hydrogen-powered buses in the coming years.
Push for a greener transport system
Sukhu said the expansion of electric bus services would contribute to reducing carbon emissions and dependence on fossil fuels while creating a cleaner and more energy-efficient public transport network.
“With continued government support and expansion of charging infrastructure, HRTC is steadily moving towards strengthening a modern, reliable, energy-efficient and environment-friendly public transport system,” he said.
The Chief Minister recalled that the state government had envisioned a “Green Himachal” in its first budget and said the expansion of electric mobility was an important step towards achieving that vision.
Additional Chief Secretary Omkar Chand Sharma and HRTC Managing Director Shivam Pratap Singh were present on the occasion in Shimla.
At Mandi, HRTC Vice Chairman Ajay Verma, APMC Chairman Sanjeev Guleria, Vice Chairman of the Jal Prabandhan Board Shashi Sharma, District Congress Committee Mandi President Champa Thakur, along with other dignitaries, participated virtually in the programme.
