The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) has taken the lead in this electric bus transition. Over the next five years, all diesel buses will be withdrawn, in line with Electric Vehicle Policy of the State Government for the period from 2024 to 2029. By 2029, APSRTC looks forward to running 12,717 electric buses – 10,155 by RTC and 2,562 on rent.
Scraping of vehicles beyond 15 years of age becomes mandatory under the new Motor Vehicle Act. Towards this purpose, APSRTC would aim to retire 2,537 buses over five years and replace them with all electric buses. Apart from that, the following bus lines, which have done mileage over and above that the prescribed limit, shall retire as well.
Total number of 5,731 such buses to be phased out in the next five years.
The transport corporation is planned to incorporate 1,285 hired buses by 2029. It will also add 1,698 buses between 2025 and 2029. In addition to that, the transport corporation has planned to add 2,726 electric buses in the fleet by 2029.
Whereas a shift to electric buses makes for a sustainable proposition, its financial viability is hard to fathom. As of now, an electric bus costs between ₹1.8 crore and ₹2 crore, which makes quite a burden on RTC if it has to purchase in bulk. Questions regarding whether to rent or buy and the proportion of buses come are not answered. However, officials say that the cost of electric buses has come down and is likely to go further down.
The government has sanctioned 750 buses under the Prime Minister's e-Bus Seva Scheme for 11 cities in Andhra Pradesh. The sanctioned amount is as follows:
The central government will provide a subsidy of ₹35 lakh per bus for private companies that operate this scheme. The Union Housing and Urban Development Ministry will administer the tendering process and finalize bus companies and costs per kilometer of the rental.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu also requested the central government sanction 300 more electric buses for Tirupati. He pointed out that destinations for pilgrimage need sustainable transportation.
