Puducherry rolls out electric buses on 25 routes

The Puducherry Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) has introduced its first fleet of air-conditioned and non-airconditioned electric buses on 25 routes.

With this, the PRTC aims to replace its aging fleet of diesel buses operating in the city with environment-friendly ones. This marks the first time that the PRTC has added air-conditioned buses to its city fleet.

Similarly, the PRTC will be operating buses from the bus terminus to major educational institutions in Puducherry for the benefit of students.

The buses (1E, 2E, 3EA, 3EB, 9E, 10EA, 10EB, 12EA, 12EB, 17EA, 17EB, 18E, 193, 20E, 7E, 8E, 13E, 11EA, and 11EB) will be deployed via Gorimedu to Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer); via Muthialpet and Kottakuppam to Pondicherry University, Puducherry Technological University, Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College and Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences; via Lawspet to Tagore Government Arts College, Government Women’s Engineering College; and via Reddiyarpalayam and Moolakulam to Christ Engineering College.

The Corporation will also be operating buses on the following routes within Puducherry and its suburbs:

Transport Commissioner A.S. Sivakumar said the buses had received good patronage from the people. The operation of these buses will not only curb pollution but would also improve urban mobility and strengthen the public transport network in Puducherry, he added.