The addition of new electric buses aims to boost public transportation and combat rising city pollution from vehicles.
On Tuesday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the addition of 1,400 new electric buses to the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation by April of the following year. In the initial phase, he inaugurated 100 non-AC electric buses of the BMTC at Vidhana Soudha.
He highlighted that under the Shakti scheme, Karnataka women have availed 1.2 billion free rides on state transport buses thus far. With a daily ridership of 4 million on BMTC buses, women from all backgrounds are benefiting from this initiative, emphasizing its inclusivity.
The introduction of these new electric buses aims to promote public transportation and address the growing issue of vehicular pollution in the city, Siddaramaiah explained.
Additionally, the BMTC announced the implementation of the Advance Driver Assistance System (ADAS) in 10 buses to enhance passenger safety and driver awareness. Furthermore, 3,000 drivers are undergoing training in the traffic command and control centre in collaboration with the police department to improve adherence to traffic rules and reduce traffic violations and accidents.