1 month ago
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Bengaluru is acceptable to spot a large enlargement of its electrical autobus fleet, with 3 manufacturers apt to beryllium awarded contracts to proviso and run 4,500 e-buses nether the Centre’s PM e-Drive initiative. The Karnataka authorities has cleared the connection to grant the tender to the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), paving the mode for the adjacent signifier of the process.
According to BMTC sources, a Mumbai-based steadfast has emerged arsenic the lowest bidder successful the air-conditioned autobus conception crossed some categories. The institution has quoted ₹70.65 per kilometre for 300 low-floor 12-metre buses and ₹60.94 per kilometre for 100 low-floor 9-metre buses.
For the non-air-conditioned segment, a Gujarat-based institution has quoted the lowest complaint of ₹62.92 per kilometre for 3,500 low-floor 12-metre buses. Meanwhile, a Haryana-based steadfast has offered ₹55.55 per kilometre for 600 low-floor 9-metre buses, making it the lowest bidder successful that category.
BMTC officials confirmed that these are the astir competitory bids received truthful far. The corp is present awaiting last support from the State authorities to contented Letters of Award (LoA). A elder authoritative said, “The authorities volition determine whether to proceed with the existent bids oregon initiate negotiations with the selected firms earlier finalising the contracts.”
BMTC presently operates a fleet of 6,982 buses, of which 1,754 are electrical buses that run nether the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model. Under this system, backstage operators ain and support the buses, portion BMTC pays them based connected the kilometres operated.
However, concerns person been raised astir the show of privately operated e-buses. In October 2025, Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy wrote to Union Heavy Industries Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy, highlighting issues specified arsenic predominant breakdowns, operator strikes, and information risks, and sought the Centre’s intervention.
