NAGPUR: After failing to meet more than half a dozen deadlines, Hyderabad’s Evey Trans have told Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) that it will deliver nine out of 40 electric vehicles by end of this month.
Just two days to go for its final deadline, NMC received a letter from the electric bus manufacturing unit which was supposed to deliver 40 e-buses by June 15.
In the letter, it has invited the civic body to depute officials for inspection of buses on any date from June 15. “Once the inspection is complete, the buses will be moved to Nagpur location,” the letter stated.
“In July, it has promised to deliver 25 more buses and the remaining five will join the Aapli Bus fleet before August 15,” said a senior official from NMC’s transport department.
The firm has already delivered one prototype of the 40 electric midi bus to NMC, the official said.
The delay in delivery of 40 e-buses took place due to pandemic that led to a shortage of spare parts for e-buses.
The company has also shared progress of infrastructure work at its depot in Wadi. The infrastructure works of civil and electrical were also on progress and it further requested the civic body for early arrangement of high-tension lines there.
NMC is also planning to organise a contest for citizens who can help NMC decide the colour code and theme of e-buses (to be inducted in the city bus fleet). NMC has already placed orders for 144 electric buses from a UP company and another 15, which it is receiving from Nagpur Smart City.
Winners of the contests will get cash reward, said municipal commissioner Radhakrishnan B.
“All these (159 e-buses) will be air conditioned. Now, NMC has decided to keep the fare of air conditioning buses at par with the existing diesel-run buses. Ticket fare of both diesel and air-conditioned Aapli Buses will remain the same,” he told TOI.
