PM eBus Scheme Expands: More Buses Planned for Indian Cities

Government to Deploy 10,000 Electric AC Buses Across 116 Cities by 2027 Under PM-eBus Sewa Scheme​

New Delhi, March 23 – The government informed the Rajya Sabha that 10,000 air-conditioned electric buses will be provided to 116 cities across 26 states and UTs by the end of 2027 under the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme, with a new scheme planned to provide an additional 35,000 e-buses thereafter.

PM-eBus Sewa Scheme Overview​

Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal said the scheme was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 16, 2023, to improve mobility in smaller cities and reduce pollution.

• The scheme targets towns with populations between 3 lakh and 40 lakh, where states often lacked adequate funding for electric buses.
• States were required to submit demands, and buses were sanctioned based on recommendations from coordination committees.

City-wise Allocation​

• 116 cities participated out of 178 eligible cities.
• In Bihar, only four cities qualified, with 400 buses sanctioned:
  
  • Patna: 150 buses
  • Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Purnea: 50 buses each
• Implementation in Bihar has been delayed due to coordination committee setup issues.

Progress and Delivery​

• 225 buses were delivered last month.
• Agreements have been finalized for 6,500 buses, with more deliveries planned as states complete formalities.
• The first tranche of 10,000 buses will be completed by end of 2027, followed by the next 35,000-bus scheme.

Benefits and Infrastructure​

• The scheme aims to save money and time, reduce pollution, and improve travel experience.
• A Sahaj ticket and national common mobility card will be introduced for seamless use across multiple transport modes.
• Associated infrastructure development includes Behind-the-Meter (BTM) power systems and civil depot infrastructure, with Rs 112.46 crore sanctioned so far.

Implementation Model​

• Buses are being deployed on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) basis under the PM-eBus Sewa Payment Security Mechanism (PSM).
• Clustering of twin and nearby cities ensures benefits even for cities outside the population limit.

Manohar Lal emphasized that urban transport is a state subject, and respective state governments are responsible for planning, implementing, and managing urban public transport, while the PM-eBus Sewa scheme supports these efforts.