Kolkata: The state Transport department is all set to add 150 electric buses to its existing fleet by next year, as part of its drive to reduce vehicular pollution in Bengal.
The department has already introduced 80 electric buses that are plying on different routes in Kolkata. The eco-friendly vehicles are more spacious than their diesel-powered counterparts, having more seats and larger storage capacity.
"We have decided to ply 150 more electric buses by next year. The tender process to procure the electric buses is underway. These buses plying across the city are popular among the commuters. Our main objective is to give better services to the people," said a senior official of West Bengal Transport Corporation on Wednesday.
As the new buses are environment friendly, it will be a major help in curbing the level of pollution in the state.
"The tender process to procure 150 electric buses will take time and it will take a year for the buses to hit the city roads," pointed out the official.
While the electric buses are plying across the city for now, the state Transport department has also decided to ply electric buses in Haldia, Siliguri, Asansol, Durgapur and other places across Bengal.
It may be mentioned that the department is providing all necessary support for the promotion of electric vehicles, in a bid to ensure an environment-friendly transport system in the state.
With promotion of the electric vehicles, Kolkata becomes the third city after Mysore and Hyderabad, where the facility of taking e-cars on rent for self-drive purpose has been launched.
The state Transport department has also introduced an app, through which buses operating in Kolkata and its adjoining areas can be tracked. One can easily identify a bus on a particular route through the app, named Pathadisha.