Guwahati: Under the ‘PM e-Bus Sewa’ initiative, the Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) on Saturday received 100 electric buses, which were virtually flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.The city topped the list by receiving 100 buses, followed by Nagpur (50 buses), Bhavnagar (50 buses), and Chandigarh (25 buses) under the scheme.ASTC officials claim that with the 100 new buses received, their fleet size has increased from 271 to 371. Including the existing 100 CNG buses, their total fleet size is now 471.Biju Deka, chief general manager (CGM) of ASTC, laid down the importance of these electric buses as a crucial addition to the city’s public transportation network. He emphasised that as the city continues to expand, these modern buses will be important in providing efficient, sustainable, and reliable transit services.“As per the rules, these electric buses will primarily be used for city operations, with about 60–70% of the fleet expected to run within city limits. However, if operating all the buses within the city becomes challenging due to traffic conditions, we have already planned to extend services to nearby areas such as Mirza, Baihata, Jagi Road, Nalbari, and Rangia and more, ” Deka said.He also highlighted the availability of adequate infrastructure, noting that the city has sufficient charging stations at key locations for smooth operations. “We have about 32 charging stations at our Rupnagar ASTC facility and 17 charging stations at the Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) in the Bhetkuchi area,” he added. In addition, he mentioned that there are charging stations outside the city as well.
