Jammu and Kashmir to run electric buses in Srinagar from next month

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government under Governor Satya Pal Malik has decided to run electric buses in Srinagar city, the summer capital of the state. As a pilot project, the city will get 30 buses, early next month.
On Tuesday, deputy commissioner Shahid Iqbal Choudhary tweeted, "A small beginning. 30 new electric buses to hit #Srinagar roads. More to follow. RTA will allot routes next week.Suggestions welcome." Choudhary on Thursday told TOI that in the first phase, 20 buses would run in the city and the other ten in the adjacent areas of Srinagar district. Eventually the government would extend electric buses to other areas in the Valley, the deputy commissioner added.

Each bus has the capacity of carrying 50 passengers (30 sitting and 20 standing) comfortably and can run up to 150 km on one full charge. The fare, he said, would be slightly lower than that of conventional buses as the running cost would be lower.
"Though we have identified routes and stations, we are open to suggestions," he said. Earlier in May, trial for electric buses were held in Jammu city. The government had purchased 40 electric buses under the subsidized Faster Adoption and Manufacturing Hybrid and Electric Vehicles scheme of the Central government.