Jammu: Jammu has been allocated 100 additional electric buses under the Centre’s PM-eBus Sewa Scheme, with the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) reviewing the progress of the supporting infrastructure at the under-construction electric bus depot in Bhagwati Nagar on Saturday.
A team led by Bhanu Pratap Singh Bhadoria, Director, Urban Transport, MoHUA, visited the site to assess the physical and financial progress of the depot and review arrangements for expanding the city’s electric public transport network.
The visiting team also included Divya Jain, State Representative, Programme Management Unit (PMU), PM-eBus Sewa.
Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), and Chief Executive Officer, Jammu Smart City Limited (JSCL), Ayushi Sudan, accompanied the team during the inspection along with other officials of JMC and JSCL.
During the visit, officials briefed the team on the ongoing construction work, infrastructure requirements and arrangements being made to accommodate the additional fleet of electric buses.
The proposed allocation comprises 25 buses measuring 12 metres and 75 buses measuring seven metres. While the larger buses are intended for routes with higher passenger demand, the smaller vehicles will be deployed to improve connectivity in congested areas and narrower roads across the city.
The implementation arrangements for the 25 twelve-metre buses have been taken forward through an agreement with PMI Electro Mobility Solutions Private Limited. Meanwhile, the procurement process for the remaining 75 seven-metre buses has also progressed, with Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL) issuing the Letter of Confirmation of Demand (LoCD).
The Bhagwati Nagar depot is being developed by JSCL as a dedicated facility to support the expanded electric bus fleet. The project has a budgeted cost of ₹16.72 crore, including ₹15.05 crore in Central assistance and ₹1.67 crore as the Union Territory’s share.
The visiting team also reviewed the supporting Behind-the-Meter (BTM) power infrastructure being developed by Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (JPDCL) to meet the electricity requirements of the depot and its charging facilities.
Apart from the proposed expansion, the officials reviewed the operation of the existing electric bus fleet in Jammu. The city currently has 100 electric buses allocated under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME-II) scheme and operated by JSCL.
These buses provide public transport services within Jammu and connect the city with several adjoining destinations, including Kathua, Udhampur, Katra and Khour.
The existing fleet is equipped with passenger safety and information facilities, including closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, emergency panic buttons, real-time vehicle tracking and passenger information systems.
Bhadoria expressed satisfaction over the progress of construction at the Bhagwati Nagar depot and appreciated JSCL’s efforts in operating the existing fleet and expanding public transport connectivity in Jammu.
The inspection was also attended by Vivek Chopra, Assistant Executive Engineer, and Narinder Singh, Senior Manager (Finance and Revenue) and In-charge Operations, JSCL, besides other officials of the municipal corporation and the smart city company.
