200 electric buses for Srinagar and Jammu smart cities

Two hundred electric buses will soon ply on the roads in J&K's Jammu and Srinagar cities as part of the government's initiative to establish an environmentally, socially, and financially sustainable network of public transport.

Srinagar: Two hundred electric buses will soon ply on the roads in J&K’s Jammu and Srinagar cities as part of the government’s initiative to establish an environmentally, socially, and financially sustainable network of public transport.

UT’s chief secretary, Arun Kumar Mehta presided over a ceremony to sign an MoU with TATA Motors Ltd. and Chalo Mobility Pvt. Ltd for the deployment of 200 electric buses in twin capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar here.

Speaking on the occasion on Monday, the chief secretary remarked that the induction of electric buses will transform the transport system in both cities of Jammu and Srinagar.

He asked both firms to ensure the best travelling experience to people in the twin cities.

He said that besides being environment friendly, the buses will also give a unique experience to the commuters. He maintained that the government is committed to provide every modern facility in the cities of the UT.

He reiterated that the government would continue its efforts to provide world class comforts to people in both these smart cities.

It was revealed during the function that passengers can also get details like real-time tracking of buses, how congested it is, along with expected time of arrival. It was also informed that the partnership between both firms will also eliminate the need for paper tickets and make contactless ticketing a greener option.

Further, it was said that the initiative will play a significant role in savings on ticketing costs. Apart from reducing pollution levels, the electric buses are also equipped with state-of-the-art facilities like panic button, location system, CCTV, stop request system, and other security related features, as was given out on this occasion.

Under this project, Tata Motors and Chalo Mobility will work in collaboration with each other for the functioning of electric buses in both cities in coordination with Jammu Smart City and Srinagar Smart City Limited.

Tata Motors will be responsible for supply, operation and maintenance of the electric buses, 100 each in Jammu and Srinagar.

Chalo Mobility will deploy its consumer technology solutions to offer convenience like Electronic Ticket Issuing Machines (‘ETIMs’), Automated Fare Collection System (‘AFCS’), Mobile App with Mobile Tickets and Mobile Passes Platform, Smart Cards Platform and Cloud Based Hosting to the commuters.

Jammu Smart City Limited (JSCL) has executed the tendering process for supply and operations of the electric buses and to establish National Common Mobility Card compliant Digital Ticketing Solution in both the Smart Cities, officials said.