Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) has decided to buy an air-conditioned double-decker electric bus. The civic transport wing has already floated a tender to procure one bus. At present, NMMT has more than 150 electric buses in its fleet that ply across the city at normal fare. The sitting capacity of the double-decker bus will be 65.
In order to accommodate more passengers, the NMMT has decided to one double-decker bus as a pilot project. If it proves viable economically, the civic transport wing may add more such buses in the future.
As per the tender document, the NMMT will buy a fully built Double Decker battery-operated air-conditioned electric bus with 12 years AMC. The company will have to erect one charging station and provide electricity supply to it. The Successful bidder shall ensure a warranty period of two years for Bus and five years for the battery.
The battery is one of the important parts of an electric bus especially a double-decker AC bus will consume more power. According to NMMT officials, the capacity of the battery will be sufficient to cover a minimum of 120 km in a single charge with a fully loaded AC Double Decker bus in city traffic conditions. He added that the bus provider will have to carry out the maintenance work.
At present, the civic transport wing has more than 150 electric AC buses that ply across the city at a normal fare. “We have received overwhelming response in electric AC buses as they are affordable for the commuter. They are commuting in AC buses at a normal fare,” said a senior official from NMMT.
The central government is planning to give subsidies on double-decker electric buses under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles (FAME II) Scheme. NMMT has already procured around 200 electric buses under the FAME I and FAME II.
Meanwhile, NMMT will scrape its 12 Volvo buses which are over 10 years old. The running and maintenance costs of these buses are very and not feasible especially when the rise in electric buses are available at a normal rate.
