The government has announced plans to introduce a whopping 50,000 electric buses across all 75 districts of the state within the next five years.

This initiative was revealed through a bidding document released by the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC), which has invited private investors to participate in the project. The tender calls for bids for the supply, operation, and maintenance of 5,000 electric buses on a gross cost contract basis. Interested parties have until March 28 to submit their bids.

The sheer scale of this endeavour is evident considering the cost of each standard transport e-bus, which is estimated to be upwards of Rs 1 crore. This sets the stage for a massive market opportunity exceeding Rs 50,000 crore. The rollout will commence with the deployment of 5,000 e-buses in the upcoming financial year 2024-25.

Highlighting the comprehensive nature of the project, a senior government official mentioned that the selected bidder would not only handle the supply, operation, and maintenance of the e-buses but also manage the associated electrical and civil infrastructure.

In a move towards sustainability, the bidders will be allowed to operate on existing inter-district routes based on a revenue-sharing model. This strategic shift towards electric buses is expected to gradually phase out approximately 12,000 diesel buses from the state's public mobility fleet, significantly reducing carbon emissions.

Moreover, the transport department has earmarked specific routes, including those in Ghaziabad, Agra, and Ayodhya districts, for the deployment of 100 e-buses. These buses are expected to serve as a pilot project for the wider adoption of e-mobility solutions.

Initially, the UPSRTC had proposed procuring 3,000 buses, but after careful consideration, the decision was made to scale up to 5,000 e-buses in the upcoming fiscal year.