Minister orders review of Electric Bus operations

Minister for Transport Byrathi Suresh announced a comprehensive study on the operation and performance of electric buses operating in Bengaluru.

He made the announcement after visiting those who were injured in the BMTC bus accident at K.R. Circle on Saturday.

Mr. Suresh said that the government needs to evaluate the financial implications of the arrangement as well as the operational efficiency of the fleet.

Responding to questions about the recent increase in accidents involving electric buses, the Minister said, “This was one of the reasons for ordering the detailed study. Officials have been instructed to examine the performance, operational issues and overall functioning of the electric buses and submit a report to the government.”

He said that a decision on inducting additional electric buses into the BMTC fleet would be taken only after the government reviews the findings of the study and assesses the condition and performance of the existing electric bus fleet.

He noted that the electric buses have been inducted under a contract model with financial assistance from the Union government. Under the agreement, the Karnataka government pays the supplier more than ₹3 lakh per electric bus every month, translating to over ₹36 lakh annually for each vehicle.

Meanwhile, he said the State government would bear the entire medical expenses of passengers injured in the accident.