The government of Jammu and Kashmir has announced that it is ready to launch 200 electric buses equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. These electric vehicles will be available in both the capitals of the union territory.
The J&K government’s decision to introduce these eco-friendly buses aims at reducing air and noise pollution and reliance on fossil fuels. These buses will be purchased under the second phase of Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and EV (FAME II). According to a PTI report, the government has also issued a tender.
To encourage passengers to use public transport system more, the electric buses will have state-of-the-art features such as a real-time passenger information system (PIS), emergency panic button, automatic bus vehicle location system, CCTV camera, a PA system, a stop request button, and various online payment modes.
The Intelligent Transport Management System (ITMS) of these electric buses will be integrated with the Integrated Command and Control Center (ICCC) of Jammu Smart City Limited (JSCL) and Srinagar Smart City Limited (SSCL).
Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) will launch ITMS on April 30 and provide an online ticket booking service in the first phase.
An online monitoring platform for these electric vehicles will also be created at the city level to monitor parameters such as kilometres travelled, equivalent fuel savings per litre per day and carbon dioxide reduction per day.