Amid the row over replacing electric buses with fossil-fuel-powered buses in the capital, pitched by the new Transport Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar, former Transport Minister Antony Raju who changed the public transportation landscape of the capital by introducing e-buses spoke to The Hindu on a range of issues related to the project. Excerpts.
You have been maintaining that the electric buses are a runaway success in Kerala. But your successor has snubbed your claims and announced that electric buses will be replaced with diesel one. Your comments
First, it is up to the State government to comment on the issue as it was a policy decision to introduce electric buses. If the new Minister feels that the policy was erroneous, it is the responsibility of the Chief Minister to explain or take a call on the matter. Second, I still stick to my point that the electric buses are a huge success in the State. Electric buses can be operated at just ₹4.6 per km, while diesel buses require around ₹26.4 per km, let alone other costs.
