Maharashtra to use green fuel for entire public transport system: Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai, India (Urban Transport News): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that his government aims to make the state the first in the country where all public transport buses run on clean fuels. However, he didn't share the timeline for the transformation but said that big cities like Mumbai and Pune already have electric buses.

"In the coming days, it will be our endeavor to ensure that public transport will not have any conventional fuel at all. We have already made a start with big cities in the state where transportation systems are being turned to clean systems," said Devendra Fadnavis, Dy CM, Maharashtra.

He said that Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation will also be starting to replace the fuel source for its fleet soon.

Sharing his opinion, he said that a switch to EVs will help India achieve its overall environmental targets and also develop the electric vehicle ecosystem in the state.

In June 2022, the first electric bus service ‘Shivaee’ of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) was launched on the Pune-Ahmednagar route. A charging station was also inaugurated at MSRTC’s Shankarsheth Road headquarters.

The MSRTC planned to operate six daily services between Pune and Ahmednagar with ‘Shivaee’, a 12-meter-long bus with a seating capacity of 43 that can go up to speeds of 80 kmph.