Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Bhopal's long-awaited electric bus service will enter commercial operation on Thursday from 8 am, with 10 e-buses plying on two routes.
However, Bhopal City Link Limited (BCLL) may temporarily divert buses via Polytechnic Square and Raj Bhawan if traffic around Board Office remains affected by the ongoing farmers' protest.
Fares have been kept in line with the 2022 fare structure, ranging from Rs 9 to Rs 40. Officials of Bhopal City Link Limited (BCLL) said the fleet will expand to 20 buses next week, while the target is to deploy 100 e-buses within a month. Around 30 buses have already reached the city.
Initially, the buses will operate from Chirayu Hospital to Board Office Metro Station, extending further to Bairagarh/Chichli on one route and Railway Coach Factory on another.
The state government approved the e-bus project on May 8. Of the 26 proposed routes, 12 have been finalised.
The longest route will connect Sehore to Ratapani (68.5 km), while the shortest will run between Railway Coach Factory and Gol Jod (28 km).
Safety & smart features
The new AC buses are equipped with AIS-140 GPS tracking, five CCTV cameras, AI-based passenger counting systems, panic buttons, emergency hammers, hydraulic wheelchair lifts, LED passenger information displays, public announcement systems and digital ticketing through a mobile app. Operations will be monitored in real time from the BCLL control room.
