SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir is set to add 200 electric buses to its urban public transport fleet under the PM eBus Sewa Scheme, with Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo reviewing the progress of the flagship initiative and directing officials to fast-track supporting infrastructure to ensure timely rollout.
Chairing a meeting of the UT-Level Steering Committee, the Chief Secretary stressed the need for expeditious development of civil depots and power infrastructure so that the buses can be pressed into service immediately upon their arrival. He asked the Special Purpose Vehicles of Jammu Smart City Limited (JSCL) and Srinagar Smart City Limited (SSCL) to prioritise Behind-the-Meter power systems, depot facilities and other operational requirements.
The meeting was attended by senior officers, including the Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production Department; Commissioner Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department; Secretary, Transport; Director General, Codes; Commissioners of Jammu and Srinagar Municipal Corporations; Chief Engineers of JPDCL and KPDCL; and other concerned officials.
Emphasising strict adherence to timelines, Dulloo directed that tendering processes be completed after carefully examining national trends and best practices, ensuring efficiency and value for money. He underlined that all arrangements must be in place so that public benefits begin without delay.
Commissioner Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department, Mandeep Kaur, informed the Committee that 100 electric buses each will be procured by JSCL and SSCL under the scheme. She said the fleet has been designed to meet city-specific operational needs, with JSCL procuring 25 buses of 12-metre length and 75 buses of 7-metre length, while SSCL will procure 20 buses of 12-metre length and 80 buses of 9-metre length.
Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation, Devansh Yadav, said that Detailed Project Reports for Civil Depot Infrastructure and Behind-the-Meter power infrastructure for both Jammu and Srinagar have already been approved in line with PM eBus Sewa guidelines. He added that tenders for these works have been issued by the respective smart city SPVs.
The meeting was informed that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has issued a mother sanction of Rs 14.28 crore for Behind-the-Meter power infrastructure and released the first tranche of Rs 14.05 crore for civil infrastructure through the SNA–SPARSH mechanism, enabling the timely execution of key project components.
Officials said the PM eBus Sewa Scheme, instituted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, is a national programme aimed at large-scale electrification of urban public transport. Convergence Energy Services Limited has been appointed as the implementation support agency for aggregated procurement and contracting to ensure transparency, efficiency and cost optimisation.
Describing the initiative as a major step towards sustainable urban mobility, the Chief Secretary said the induction of electric buses will help reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality and provide citizens with a safer, cleaner and more reliable public transport system across Jammu and Kashmir.
