NASHIK: Maharashtra State Regional Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has planned on setting up charging stations across 10 bus depots in the state. A total of 50 charging stations will be set up at Nashik, Aurangabad, Pune, Solapur and Kolhapur. It has not been clear how many companies responded to the tenders related to electric buses, which were floated two weeks ago.
Currently, the government offices are restricted with 15 per cent manpower, due to the ongoing Covid19 pandemic. The tenders related to electric buses were floated to seek 100 electric buses. The contractor who supplies the electric buses must set up an electric charging station. The central government has a policy to use maximize the usage of elec- tric vehicles.
Accordingly, MSRTC officials have been working on maximizing the use of electric vehicles as the central government is providing a grant for this. MSRTC officials informed that the department has been facing difficulties due to manpower constraints in the pandemic. While the tenders were invited on May 8, 2021, no information has been received on the number of companies that have responded to the same. More information is said to be available once the manpower is back.
Shivai electric bus was inaugurated In September 2019, at Mumbai Central. A total of 150 buses will arrive in the convoy at this time and 50 buses will arrive in the first phase, it was announced by ST MSRTC. So far this Shivai bus has not been available for passenger service.
