PANAJI: Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) will soon begin trial runs of an electric bus on local routes in the state. The electric bus was delivered to KTC by a company called Goldstone Infratech in the presence of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, Transport Minister Ramkrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar and KTC Chairman Carlos Almeida.
Speaking to media persons, Parrikar said, “After trial runs are completed, we will float the tender (for electric buses). The basic logic is that the company will operate the bus with a Goan driver trained by them and they will charge us (the state government) a per kilometre rate, which will include everything. We don’t have to pay the price of the bus, we don’t have to pay the cost of the driver and we don’t have to pay the maintenance cost, as everything is part of the contract.”
When asked what can be the per kilometre rate, which the government will have to pay to the company for an electric bus, Parrikar replied, “Tentatively, Rs 55-60 per km.”
Electric buses with zero emissions are a new trend in India. But, these buses are very expensive. The 12 meter electric bus, which Goldstone Infratech delivered to KTC, is priced at Rs 2.45 crore. However, as Parrikar explained, the government will not have to pay the price of the bus to the company because it will only pay a per km rate.
Speaking to mediapersons, Almeida said, “These trial runs will happen all across the state. Every 4-5 days, the bus will go on a different route”
Naga Satyam, president, strategy, Goldstone Infratech, said, “This electric bus can cover a distance of 250 kms at 70 kmph on a single complete charge. It takes four hours to charge the battery of the bus completely.”
Last year, Goldstone Infratech got an order to deliver 31 electric buses to Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation and Brihan Mumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST). Meanwhile, these buses have already completed trial runs in Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Rajkot and Chandigarh.
