Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday virtually flagged off 50 air-conditioned electric buses for Nagpur under the PM e-Bus Sewa scheme, marking a significant push toward cleaner urban mobility.
The launch took place during an event held in Guwahati, where similar electric bus fleets were introduced for other cities. With these additions, Nagpur’s electric bus fleet has expanded to 360, and another 100 buses under the scheme are expected to arrive soon. The new vehicles will be operated by the transport division of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation through its Aapli Bus service. The city has received both 12-metre and 9-metre bus variants to meet varied route requirements.
Mayor Neeta Thakre said that the corporation remains committed to offering clean and modern public transport within the city and up to 20 km into surrounding mofussil areas. She noted that residents in peripheral localities should also have access to safe and comfortable electric bus services.
The event was attended by district guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Krishnha Khopde, Sandip Joshi, deputy mayor Leela Hathibed, BJP city president Dayashankar Tiwari, and other officials.
The Koradi depot — Koradi depot — has been upgraded with advanced charging stations and new electrical infrastructure to support the expanded fleet. Another facility at Wadi has also been prepared for operations. Dedicated charging points and enhanced power systems have been installed to ensure uninterrupted service.
The newly introduced buses are fully air-conditioned and equipped with GPS tracking, an Intelligent Transport System (ITS), and digital ticketing. To improve accessibility, each bus includes divyang-friendly hydraulic ramps. With a range of around 225 km per charge, the buses are capable of handling daily operations across major routes within the city and extending into suburban areas.
During the same programme, the Prime Minister also flagged off additional electric bus fleets: 100 AC e-buses for Guwahati, 50 for Bhavnagar, and 25 for Chandigarh. Under the ₹20,000-crore PM e-Bus Sewa initiative, a total of 10,000 electric buses will be deployed across multiple cities to reduce carbon emissions, decrease fuel consumption, and advance sustainable urban transportation nationwide.
