Satya Rajput, Raipur. On the special initiative of Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai, the Government of India has approved 240 e-buses for public transport under the PM e-bus service scheme in four cities of Chhattisgarh state. Now e-bus service will soon be started in Bilaspur, Durg-Bhilai and Korba including the capital Raipur.
Deputy Chief Minister Arun Saw said that the PM e-bus service scheme has been started by the central government to improve the infrastructure of public transport in urban areas. Under the scheme, the number of buses for the states has been determined on the basis of the population of the cities. Under this, on the proposal sent by the Chhattisgarh Urban Development Department, the Government of India has approved 100 e-buses for Raipur, 50 for Durg-Bhilai, 50 for Bilaspur and 40 for Korba, thus a total of 240 e-buses.
This scheme of the Government of India is a part of the effort to link the central assistance given to the states with transparency and their performance. The central government intends that this scheme should be developed as an alternative or supporting means of metro in cities, so that people get the facility of affordable, reliable and easy transport.
Deputy Chief Minister Saw said that under this innovative scheme of public transport service, the central government will provide financial assistance to the cities for the purchase and operation of buses. A large part of this will also be spent for the development of infrastructure like bus depots in cities. The general conditions of the scheme also include that third party audit of the money given under the project will be mandatory, so that there is complete transparency.
Under the PM E Bus Seva Yojana, the account of bus operations will have to be given every three months. Under the scheme, three types of buses, standard, medium and mini, will be plying. Cities have been divided into four categories on the basis of population. Cities with a population of 20 to 40 lakhs were eligible for 150 e-buses, cities with a population of 10 to 20 lakhs and 5 to 10 lakhs were eligible for 100-100 e-buses, and cities with a population less than 5 lakhs were eligible for 50 e-buses, on the basis of which Raipur has been approved for 100 medium e-buses, Durg Bhilai for 50 medium e-buses, Bilaspur for 35 medium and 15 mini e-buses, and Korba for 20 medium and 20 mini e-buses.
According to the guidelines of the scheme, the purchase of buses and the selection of operating agency will be done by the central government and central assistance will be given on the basis of assured kilometer operation and if the buses run less kilometers than this, then the central assistance will be reduced in the same proportion. The central government will give money on the basis of performance of the cities. DPRs of civil and power infrastructure and metering for operation are being prepared by the cities after getting approval from the Government of India.
Deputy Chief Minister Saw said that with the start of e-bus service, there will be improvement in air quality and environmental protection due to less carbon emission in the cities of Chhattisgarh along with less energy consumption and better fuel efficiency and comfortable transport facility will be available to the citizens.