Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) and Smart City Development Corporation Ltd have established a grand bus depot behind the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) in the Jadhavwadi area. The depot will get 35 electric buses (e-buses) before Diwali, the sources said.
The work of establishing the charging station at the depot for the e-buses is in the final stages. On Thursday, municipal commissioners and senior municipal officers inspected the work of the depot. The Union government will provide 100 buses for the public transportation in the city, of which the first lot of 35 buses will come before Diwali.
Smart City initiated the city bus service in 2018. In all, 100 diesel buses were purchased at the expense of Rs 35 crore. Similarly, a grand bus depot was established in the Jadhavwadi area to park these buses. The work of the depot is in progress. Sreekanth inspected the work on Thursday. Smart City transport department chief officer Sanjay Supekar was also present.
Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) has laid an HT line from Harsul sub-station to the depot for the charging station. A substation will be established at the depot. Sixteen buses can be charged at one time in the depot. One charged bus can travel a distance of 270 km, the company claimed. Similarly, one charging station will be established at the Cidco Waluj area for emergencies, the sources said.
The union government has assigned the task of running the e-buses to a private company from Hyderabad. The company will provide a driver and the bus, while Smart City will have to appoint the conductor. The buses will be of two types, 9 and 12 metres long. These e-buses will start operation before Diwali, the sources said.
