Mumbai: The State Transport (ST) launched its first electric bus in Mumbai on Thursday. The bus, named Shivai, will run between Dadar and Pune. The electric supplement bus will save on costs of ST corporation. Shiv Sena party chief Uddhav Thackeray inaugurated it.
The decision to induct an electric bus to save fuel cost was taken by the ST Corporation chairman and transport minister, Diwakar Raote. A total of three electric buses will be purchased and the tender process has been completed.
The seating capacity of this bus is for 44 people. The bus is air-conditioned and has the capacity to reach up to 300 kilometres with one charge. It will take nearly five hours to fully charge the bus. The cost of this bus will be higher than that of Shivshahi bus and less than Shivneri. Importantly, the electric bus will reduce pollution.
The construction of a multi-storey building for the central office of the ST Corporation at Mumbai Central and the redevelopment of the depot and bus station at Vidyavihar were too announced.
In the first phase of the construction of a 49 mutli-storey building, a cafeteria is proposed on the ground floor. The existing central office of ST Corporation will be relocated from 1st to the 4th floor.
The ST central offices will be located from 9th to the 14th floors. While the remaining offices from 15th to 49th floors will be given on rent to various departments of the government, as additional income to the ST corporation.
