State govt approves electric bus depot construction

S Ramesh/ tnnMysuru: The state govt has given administrative approval for the construction of an electric bus depot on 4.5 acres of land in Banni Mantap in the city, where the KSRTC suburban bus stand is under construction.

The new bus depot will have a charging infrastructure facility to support the EV fleet of buses.The state govt is extending 100 electric buses to operate on city routes. KSRTC has floated a tender for construction of the e-bus depot, and is likely to finalise the tender by the last week of this month.The new e-bus depot will come up at the cost of Rs 7 crore, which will have facility for parking of 75 electric buses and charging points for 25 buses, among other features.As the Union govt has sanctioned a fleet of 100 e-buses to Mysuru depot as part of enhancing eco-friendly buses to increase green mobility, KSRTC has taken up the construction of the depot for e-buses.Currently, the state-run transportation corporation operates 14 EV buses between Mysuru and Bengaluru, with two charging points in the KSRTC suburban bus stand.Speaking to TOI, KSRTC Mysuru urban divisional controller H T Veeresh said that the state govt has given administrative approval for the new electric bus depot and floated a tender. The works related to the new e-bus depot are likely to start in July.Once the new e-bus depot, along with charging infrastructure, is ready in the city, e-buses will arrive in Mysuru, he said.