Electrical buses parked on the upcoming charging facility at Maraimalai Adigalar Salai in Puducherry. 
| Picture Credit score: Particular Association

After a protracted wait, the primary batch of 5 electrical buses, together with a prototype, have arrived in Puducherry from Hyderabad. One other bus is predicted this week.

The low-floor buses equipped by Evey Trans Non-public Restricted, a subsidiary of Olectra Greentech, reached Puducherry on Monday (Could 26, 2025) and is geared toward strengthening the general public transport sector’s shift to electrical autos.

Commuters in Puducherry and its suburbs can now count on an improved and hassle-free journey expertise, because of the trendy options of those electrical buses, officers mentioned.

The charging station for the electrical buses is being established by Evey Trans Non-public Restricted on a 25,000 sq. ft. web site belonging to the Puducherry authorities on Maraimalai Adigal Salai. A serious portion of the work is accomplished, and the power shall be prepared within the subsequent two weeks.

Based on Transport Commissioner A.S. Sivakumar: “As many as 5 buses have arrived, whereas one other bus is predicted this week. The remaining 19 buses shall be inducted in a phased method earlier than July-end. These buses have been introduced in underneath the FAME-II scheme of the Authorities of India.”

“The 25 buses (10 AC and 15 non-AC) are 9-metre buses and shall be run underneath Gross Price Contract (GCC) in Public-Non-public Partnership (PPP) mannequin. The ₹23-crore seed funding from the Good Metropolis venture shall be utilised for the cost on per km foundation together with ticket income. The buses will ply on 15 tentative routes inside city areas, and shall be operated underneath a Viability Hole Funding mannequin.”

The prototype of the bus shall be on a trial run for a couple of days to evaluate its technical and mechanical energy. It’s going to ply on designated routes for a couple of days with none passengers to verify single charging vary and different sensible points. The buses will then be formally flagged off by the Lt. Governor and Chief Minister, and be obtainable for metropolis residents.

Tentative routes

The buses will ply on two routes — the primary one begins from the railway station and ends on the airport, and goes by the outdated bus stand, new bus stand, Indira Gandhi sq., Rajiv Gandhi sq., and Jeeva colony. The second route begins from Puducherry to the airport, and can ply by the railway station, Authorities Basic Hospital, Ajantha sign, Karuvadikuppam, and Lawspet.

With the charging station being arrange by the operator preparing, Evey Trans Non-public Restricted has deliberate to cost the buses at a facility run by one other non-public operator close to the toll gate at Morattandi. This firm already operates electrical buses from Puducherry to Chennai, and the power shall be used for charging buses in a single day, Mr. Sivakumar mentioned.

The upcoming charging station consists of allied infrastructure with annual fleet-level assured operations of 200 km per day per bus, for a interval of 12 years. The operator is to foot the electrical energy value and all upkeep prices of the buses.

The Puducherry Highway Transport Company (PRTC) or Puducherry City Transport Company (PUTA) shall be accountable for the fare assortment and passenger tax on tickets, whereas all different permissions and clearances, together with registration, insurance coverage, stage provider allow, Motor Automobile Tax, and GST on kilometre costs, shall be borne by the operator.

An escrow account has been created and all income generated and the revenue accruing from the operation of the buses shall be deposited into the account. This may assist in rationalising the costs that might be paid on a per kilometre utilization. 

The battery-operated buses have a lifetime of 6-7 years and canopy over 200 km in a single cost. It takes round six hours to cost the buses.