To make the transport easy for the differently-abled commuters, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) has introduced 26 new e-buses with a mechanical lift.
The e-buses are equipped with advanced features such as lift mechanism that extends an automated ramp for easy ingress and egress of specially-abled passengers, along with ergonomic seats, roomy interiors, utility provisions like charging ports, WiFi hotspot for on-the-go connectivity and wide entry and exit passages.
Besides, the buses also come with Intelligent Transport System (ITS), telematics system, regenerative braking system, amongst other features, for efficient and smooth operations, Tata Motors said.
The buses have been tested and validated by Tata Motors across states, including Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Assam and Maharashtra, to establish performance in diverse terrains, according to the automaker.
The buses were procured under the central government's FAME India scheme last month. These buses were inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in a flagging-off ceremony that may take place at Murli Deora Chowk, Nariman Point.
Presently, there are 72 buses in the BEST fleet, among which 66 are wet-leased and the remaining six buses are owned by the undertaking. BEST has also procured these 26 new buses from Tata Motors under wet-lease.
On Thursday, at the BEST committee meeting, management officials and committee members also stated that by March 2022 the undertaking aims to increase the number of e-buses in its fleet to 340.
"E-buses are the future. By the next two years, this will also help the undertaking to control its expenditures as prices of fuel are increasing day by day" Ravi Raja, senior Congress corporator and BEST committee member told FPJ.
A senior official the undertaking informed this buses will be presently used in medium routes and after the full-scale resumption of local trains, some of these buses will be pressed on short feeder routes.
(with inputs from PTI)
