WB govt negotiates with World Bank to procure 130 electric buses

Kolkata: The West Bengal government has negotiated with the World Bank to avail subsidy to buy 130 electric buses for plying in Kolkata, Asansol and Durgapur, state Transport Minister Suvendu Adhikari told the Assembly.

The World Bank has agreed to provide a subsidy of Rs seven lakh per bus, Adhikari said during the question hour.

While 100 buses would ply in Kolkata, the remaining 30 have been earmarked for industrial towns of Durgapur and Asansol.

Adhikari said the bus depots in these places were equipped for charging batteries and a single charge would allow a bus to run for 150 km.

Soon, 20 electric buses would be made available for providing transport service in New Town-Rajarhat area near the metropolis, the minister said.

By December this year, he said, 411 diesel buses manufactured by Volvo and others would also reach the state.