Nashik: In a significant move towards eco-friendly public transportation, Nashik city is set to receive 50 electric buses under the central government's PM E-Bus scheme, with plans for further expansion to include a total of seven hundred buses. To accommodate this ambitious fleet, the municipality is proposing the construction of a state-of-the-art bus depot at Adgaon, with an estimated expenditure of ₹27 crore.
A recent online meeting between municipal officials and central authorities discussed the logistics of the project, highlighting the need for a dedicated depot equipped to handle electric buses. The proposed depot, to be located at the site of the existing truck terminal in Adgaon, will also include a substation for charging buses. Approximately ₹14 crore will be allocated for the construction of the substation, with funding secured from the Centre.
With earlier plans to charge 50 buses daily at the depot, now it will be built to occupy 75 buses. The central government has pledged a subsidy of ₹24 per kilometre for each bus over the next decade, incentivising the adoption of electric buses in Nashik. In preparation for the influx of electric buses, the municipality will appoint an agency to oversee bus operations in the city. The agency will be responsible for managing the depot, including monthly charging bills and operational logistics.
Looking ahead, Nashik's municipal authorities are considering future growth by proposing a depot capable of accommodating up to seven 700 hundred buses, anticipating the city's evolving transportation needs. By investing in sustainable public transit infrastructure now, Nashik aims to pave the way for a greener, more efficient urban mobility system.
Bajirao Mali, Executive Engineer Mechanical Department, NMC, said, "Considering the future, a proposal has been placed with the Centre to have a depot of 75 buses instead of 50. After constructing a depot for 50 buses, if the number of buses increases again in the next few years, there is a possibility that a new depot will have to be constructed. That's why it will be useful if a spacious bus depot is built now."
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