Srinagar, Mar 07: The Srinagar Smart City Limited (SSCL) will soon shift to the summer schedule for its electric bus services and rationalise routes in the city following directions from the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir.
During a meeting held on March 5, Divisional Commissioner Anshul Garg directed the Chief Executive Officer of SSCL to rationalise e-bus routes, ensure strict adherence to time schedules and designate proper bus stops.
An SSCL official said the new summer schedule is expected to be implemented from mid-March.
Syed Suhaib Naqshbandi, an official, told Rising Kashmir that the routes will be streamlined under the summer operational plan, but no additional routes are currently under consideration.
“E-buses will continue to operate only on the existing routes. However, the routes will be rationalised to improve efficiency and maintain proper schedules,” he said.
Meanwhile, three additional e-bus charging stations are being set up in Srinagar to reduce the load on the existing charging facility at Pantha Chowk.
According to Naqshbandi, the new charging stations are being developed at Zoonimar, Batamaloo and Hazratbal.
“These charging stations were planned earlier, even before the approval of the new fleet of 100 e-buses. The additional charging locations will help accommodate the increased fleet and manage operations more efficiently,” he said.
Officials said the move will support the expansion of the electric bus network in the city and ensure smoother functioning of the public transport system.
Pertinently, 100 new electric buses have been approved for Kashmir and are expected to arrive in Srinagar by June under the PM-eBus Sewa scheme.
The addition of these buses is expected to strengthen public transport services in Srinagar and adjoining areas, where the demand for reliable and affordable commuting options has been increasing.
The Government of India launched the PM-eBus Sewa scheme on August 16, 2023, with the objective of augmenting urban bus services by deploying 10,000 electric buses across the country under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
At present, SSCL operates 98 electric buses across Srinagar city and its outskirts, which have attracted a growing number of commuters and helped ease travel for a large section of the population.
