Mira-Bhayandar: 57 new e-buses to be added to MBMC's existing fleet from May 1

The Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) will add electric buses to its existing fleet, in a phased manner from May 1. The letter of acceptance for the induction of 57 electric buses was recently handed over to Pinnacle Mobility Solutions, a Pune-based private limited company, which will operate the public transport system on a Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model.

Project aims to change the face of MBMC transport service

MBMC chief Dilip Dhole and his team had recently travelled in a demo bus to evaluate the performance of the vehicle. While 32 (midi buses) out of the 57 electric buses will be 9 meter long and without air-conditioning, 15 will be regular non-air-conditioned buses and the remaining 10 will be air-conditioned buses.

The 12-metre and 9-metre buses will have a seating capacity of 39 and 31 plus drivers, respectively. The project aimed at changing the face of MBMC’s public transport services is being implemented under the aegis of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) mooted by the Central government for improving air quality.

MBMC focusing on green environment

Transport authority manager and additional civic chief Aniket Manorkar said, “Induction of e-buses will gradually phase out the conventional mode of transport by replacing it with a sustainable alternative, which will not only ensure a clean and green environment but pocket-friendly rides for commuters also in the twin-city.”

Buses to be maintained by private contractor

Under this model, the buses will be owned, maintained, and driven by a private contractor who will also pay for fuel (charging) in exchange for a fixed per-km rate and generate income through advertisements. MBMC will only deploy conductors to collect revenue through ticket sales. Presently, 71 out of the 74 buses operate on 18 routes which have an average ridership of 90,000 commuters per day.