Thiruvananthapuram: The State driven transport corporation , Kerala State Road Transport
Corporation (KSRTC) is planning to introduce electricity-run
buses .The main objective is to cut down on fuel costs and pollution. The state
transporter is in talks to buy the buses to use up the
subsidies announced by the central government.
Kerala has been looking into the possibilities of buying
buses that run on LNG and CNG. The corporation has
reached an agreement with the Indian Oil Corporation
to set up Kerala’s first CNG plant at Anayara in
Thiruvananthapuram. The union government is yet to
grant Kerala permission to use LNG buses.
Electricity-run buses may be a better alternative as they
cost only a tenth of the expenses for other buses. The
KSRTC can avail of Rs 30 lakh to Rs 66 lakh as central
subsidies given to buses used for public transport.
The e-buses do not pose a problem of storing CNG and
LNG. However, e-buses are costlier. They cost anywhere
between Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 2.5 crore. But they cost only Rs 5 to run a kilometer.
E-buses have done trial services in many Indian cities including Bengaluru and Chennai.
Bengaluru pressed into service an imported e-bus two years ago, while Chennai has an e-bus brought out by Ashok Leyland.
The buses can run 120 kilometers after a three-hour recharge of the lithium ion batteries.
With 31 seats, they can reach a speed of up to 80 kilometers.
Kerala had sought Chinese help to buy the buses. The chief minister had discus
