Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government is in the process of inducting 600 new electric buses to its public transport fleet to promote eco-friendly transport and curb vehicular pollution, Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mohapatra informed on Friday.
At present, 450 e-buses are operating in Odisha. “The state requires around 1,000 e-buses to meet its growing demand. Of these, 200 will be procured by the state government, while 400 will be provided under a central scheme announced by the Prime Minister,” he said.
In the first phase, 25 e-buses will be deployed in Sambalpur, followed by phased introduction in Jharsuguda, Keonjhar, Berhampur and Angul. The services will be operated by Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) under its ‘Aam Bus’ initiative, aimed at providing safe, affordable and green transport.
“With the rollout of 600 e-buses, Odisha is taking a decisive step towards greener cities and smarter urban transport,” Mohapatra added.
Odisha currently ranks five among all states in the country in e-mobility. With 450 e-buses already operational and ambitious plans to surpass the 1,000 mark, the state is setting a benchmark in green mobility, aiming to transform its cities into cleaner, smarter, and more commuter-friendly environments.
Across the country, 14,329 e-buses are in operation under flagship schemes such as PM-E Bus Sewa and PM-E Drive.