Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Bhopal's newly launched electric bus service recorded an estimated 2,000 passengers on its first day of commercial operations on Thursday, with the Kolar route attracting the highest ridership.
However, officials said passenger numbers remained lower than expected due to limited public awareness and the fact that services are currently restricted to just two routes.
The first e-bus departed from the Bairagarh depot at 5.04 am, while services continued until 7 pm. According to Bhopal City Link Limited (BCLL), operating hours will soon be revised to 6 am-8 pm.
Between 6 am and 12 pm, around 850 passengers travelled on the two routes, generating nearly Rs 13,000 in revenue. Officials expect daily collections to exceed Rs 30,000 as awareness increases and more commuters shift to the new service.
Kolar route draws maximum commuters
The fleet currently operates on two corridors: Board Office to Coach Factory and Board Office to Kolar via Bairagarh-Chichli. While buses on the Coach Factory route witnessed moderate occupancy, the Kolar route remained the busiest throughout the day. BCLL has already received 30 of the 100 electric buses sanctioned for Bhopal, with only 10 buses deployed for commercial operations at present.
Traffic bottlenecks slow operations
The biggest challenge on the inaugural day was traffic congestion along the Board Office-Coach Factory corridor. A stretch from Prabhat Square to the Railway Station, which normally takes around five minutes to cover, took nearly 21 minutes.
Officials attributed the delays to encroachments by roadside vendors, illegal shops on footpaths and unauthorised roadside parking along Ashoka Garden and Pushpa Nagar, resulting in heavy congestion in both directions.
