PANAJI
Hyderabad-based Olectra Greentech Limited once hailed as a key player in Goa’s ambitious electric vehicle (EV) expansion, now finds itself in hot water. The Goa government, under the FAME II scheme, proudly announced its partnership with Olectra in 2021 to boost its EV fleet with 100 new buses.
The deadline? January 2024. Yet, not a single bus has rolled into the State.
The company, which secured a Rs 140 crore contract to deliver these electric buses to Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL), was just recently slapped with a hefty Rs 2 crore penalty for the considerable delay. KTCL Chairman Ulhas Tuenkar expressed that the company’s sluggishness prompted them to slap the penalty.
“For this delay, we have imposed a fine of Rs 2 crore on the company,” Tuenkar said speaking to The Goan. “The company has now promised to deliver the buses in batches, with the first 10 expected next month. By December, we expect all 100 buses to arrive and start plying on our roads.”
The Corporation has indicated that the company could face even steeper fines if further delays occur.
These EV buses are meant to replace the aging diesel fleet that is still operating in certain areas. However, the lack of charging infrastructure means that the new buses will initially operate only in areas close to existing charging stations.
“We will operate these buses in Margao, Canacona, Quepem and Valpoi among other areas. It also includes the inaccessible parts of Goa but until the charging stations, the EV buses will ply in areas close to the charging stations,” Tuenkar added.
This is the company’s second order from KTCL as it boasts of previous contracts in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala and Uttarakhand.
In the meantime, KTCL will introduce additional EV buses under the Smart City initiative, with the Bombay High Court in Goa setting September 30 deadline. While 16-18 out of a total of 48 EV buses are already on road, the remaining are expected to be commissioned by the deadline set.
