First inter-city electric bus to be flagged off on Dec. 30

• Chief Minister to launch clean-air bus from Bengaluru to Mysuru
• Inaugural bus to arrive at State Capital from Hyderabad today

Mysore/Mysuru: The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation’s (KSRTC) first inter-city clean-air bus from Bengaluru to Mysuru is likely to be flagged off by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday, Dec. 30.

While the first bus will arrive from Hyderabad to Bengaluru today, all the other inter-city zero-emission routes will be operated from Bengaluru to Madikeri, Virajpet, Chikkamagaluru, Davangere and  Shivamogga in phases.

KSRTC’s Mysuru Divisional Controller Ashok Kumar told Star of Mysore this morning that the tentative date of the CM flagging off the inaugural bus to Mysuru is on Dec. 30. “We are expecting a trial run on Dec. 28 on the 10-lane Mysuru-Bengaluru Expressway before the actual inauguration to check the operational abilities, passenger capacity and the actual operation,” he said.

“The Mysuru-Bengaluru route is a priority one for the KSRTC and the Mysuru Division operates over 450 daily trips to Bengaluru and most of the premium Airavatha AC and Club Class buses ply on this route. This is the reason we have chosen the Mysuru route for the launch of first-ever electric                inter-city services,” he said.

Charging stations have been set up at the halting station in Bengaluru and at Mysuru Sub-Urban Bus Stand near the Bengaluru bus section on elevated platforms.

KSRTC sources said that the inter-city service is being launched under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme of the Union Government. Under the scheme, the KSRTC will operate 50 such AC buses.

The buses will run on gross cost contract basis in which the private operator will operate the buses for 10 years where the KSRTC will pay Rs. 55 per kilometre as operational cost to the private operator that includes electricity charges.

The KSRTC has struck a deal with Hyderabad-based Olectra Greentech Ltd., which has been selected under the FAME to operate buses. With a single charge, the bus can run up to 250 km and the assured distance operated is 450 km per day.

As per the agreement with the KSRTC, the private operator has to bear the cost involved in employing driver, maintenance and others for a period of ten years.