From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Oct 22: In an environment-friendly initiative, the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) started the trial run of the Electric Buses in Bengaluru on Friday.

Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi, who also handles the Transport Department, boarded the bus from BMTC’s main office at Shantinagar and travelled till the Vidhana Soudha along with BMTC Chairman and other senior officials.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa came out to inspect the e-bus at Vidhana Soudha.

The BMTC has taken up the operation of the e-buses for the second time after a gap of six years with a Hyderabad-based company providing 12-meter long air-conditioned e-bus for the trial run.

The e-bus will be operated on trial basis for a fortnight on important roads in the city and sand bags will be used, instead of carrying passengers, BMTC officials explained. They said the performance of the e-bus will be assessed in terms of battery charging, carrying capacity and other factors.

The officials claimed that the e-bus, with maximum seating capacity of 34+1 is capable of running 200 to 250 kms on a single charge.

BMTC had carried out a trial run of e-bus earlier in 2014 using an e-bus provided by a China-based company without going ahead.

In the year 2014, the BMTC had done a trial run of E –bus for the first time by operating a bus provided by a China based company.

With the Centre offering a cash subsidy of Rs 55 lakh per bus, the BMTC is planning to induct 300 e-buses in the city. However, no decision has been taken so far.