PUNE: Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) has added 25 electric buses (e-buses) to its fleet to reduce the expenditure on diesel and help reduce pollution. However, the cost of maintaining these buses is increasing. Charging the 25 e-buses costs Rs 31,250 per day, while the monthly expenditure goes up to Rs 9 lakh.

“The PMPML had added these e-buses to its fleet this year. There are 15 e-buses running on four routes in Pune, while 10 ply in Pimpri Chinchwad areas. The buses need to charge for four to five hours to run around 225 km. It costs Rs 8 per unit. There are only two charging points available in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad,” said a source from the PMPML.

“As per the agreement, the contractor has to bear the cost of Rs 2.8 lakh per month. PMPML will have to bear the extra charge after crossing the limit of Rs 2.8 lakh. The cost of charging is Rs 1,250 for each bus every day and Rs 31,250 for all buses per day,” the source said.

There are 2,000 buses in the PMPML fleet. Out of these, around 1,200 to 1,300 buses ply on roads every day. The transport body will add 400 more CNG buses to its fleet. An amount of Rs 110 crore will be given by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to purchase these buses from Tata Motors at a cost of Rs 44.80 lakh per bus. 

Overall losses to the PMPML have reached up to Rs 14 lakh per day as mentioned in the PMC audit report.

It has been decided to purchase e-buses under the Smart City Project. 

In all, 150 new buses will be added in the first phase, while 350 will be added in the second phase.