Bhubaneswar: Two double-decker electric buses are expected to arrive in Odisha capital by Thursday morning, Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra informed on Wednesday.
“We are expected three more buses by January 5,” he added.
These buses are being brought from Mumbai.
Colours of Odisha’s heritage, including the wheel of Konark Sun Temple, Dhauli Shanti Stupa, temples and Gotipua and Odissi dancers, can be seen on these orange buses, , which are part of the department’s plan to revamp the city’s public transport scenario. These will be deployed during Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, scheduled to be held at Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar from January 8 to 10, and used for transporting Indian diaspora.
The CRUT had earlier announced that it would procure 5 double-decker electric buses to be run in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri initially. These will operate within cities and their nearby satellite towns as intercity buses. Based on the outcome, the fleet size would be expanded in future, it added.
The Minister had also said that the double-decker e-buses can carry a larger number of passengers, and thereby, reduce the number of vehicles and traffic congestion on the roads. These e-buses will also promote green energy and reduce carbon footprint in the public transport sector.
